Bilbao Orkestra Sinfonikoa


Bilbao Orkestra Sinfonikoa is a symphony orchestra based in Bilbao, Basque Country.

History

The orchestra's first concert was on May 8, 1922 at the Teatro Arriaga, under the direction of maestro Armand Marsick.
Principal conductors have been Armand Marsick, Vladimir Golschmann, Jesús Arámbarri, José Limantour, Antoine de Babier, Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos, Alberto Bolet, Pedro Pirfano, Urbano Ruiz Laorden and Theo Alcántara. Günter Neuhold has been music director and Chief Conductor since 2008.
It has also been conducted by Maurice Ravel, Jesús Guridi, Pablo Sorozábal, Krzysztof Penderecki, Carmelo Bernaola, Luis de Pablo, Ernesto and Cristóbal Halffter and other composers performing their own works.
The BOS was invited to perform at Mariinski Theatre in Saint Petersburg, Russia, for the 300th Anniversary of the city. In 1998 it represented the Basque Country at the World Expo in Lisbon, and in 1999 it took part in the inauguration of the Euskalduna Palace in Bilbao.
The BOS performs regularly at the National Auditorium in Madrid and the Musical Fortnight in Donostia, in addition to engagements at the Santander International Festival, Paris Festival, and the Religious Music Festival in Cuenca.

Recordings

In the 1980s, the era of López Cobos and Lorenzo Martínez Palomo, the BOS arranged its first most noteworthy recordings. At the end of the nineties an agreement was reached with the multi-national company NAXOS to record 30 CDs, and the results of these are now appearing.

Operas

AlbumConductorSoloits and ChoirsLabelDiscsRelease Year
GURIDI: Amaya Theo AlcántaraMarianne Cornetti, Cesar Hernandez, Rebecca Copley, Itxaro Mentxaka, Carlos Conde, Rosendo Flores, Angel Pazos, Bilbao Choral SocietyMarco Polo22000
GURIDI: El Caserío Juanjo MenaVicente Sardinero, Ana Rodrigo, Maria José Suarez, Emilio Sanchez, Fernando Latorre, Felipe Nieto, Bilbao Choral SocietyNaxos12006
USANDIZAGA: Mendi Mendiyan Juanjo MenaJosé Antonio Carril, Santos Ariño, Marta Ubieta, Tatiana Davidova, Juan Lomba, Coral Andra MariMarco Polo12005

Vocal, Choral and Orchestral Works

AlbumConductorSoloists and ChoirsLabelDiscsRelease Year
GURIDI: Ten Basque MelodiesJuanjo MenaIsabel Álvarez, Chorus of the Conservatory of the Bilbao Choral SocietyNaxos12003
GURIDI: Sinfonía pirenaicaJuanjo MenaNaxos12005
ISASI: Symphony No.2Juanjo MenaNaxos12004
SARASATE: Violin Showpieces Vol.1Juanjo MenaSi-Qing Lu Naxos12004
ARAMBARRI: Eight Basque SongsJuanjo MenaItxaro Mentxaka Naxos12003
ESCUDERO: IlletaJuanjo MenaRicardo Salaberria, Coral Andra MariNaxos12005