Canary Islands Feature Classical Music Under the Sun

Like your Brahms with some balmy weather? Then head for Spain's Canaries this winter. Sonatas and symphonies will fill the air of eight of the Canary Islands from January 10 through March 1, 2008, when the 24th Annual Music Festival of the Canaries - one of Europe's only classical music festivals in the winter - kicks off on January 10.

The first concert will take place at the spectacular Alfredo Kraus Auditorium in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria with a program of Beethoven's Concert No. 3 for piano and orchestra, directed by Pedro Halffter and performed by the Gran Canaria Philharmonic Orchestra with the Children's Choir of the Philharmonic Orchestra of Gran Canaria (OFGC).

The festival will end on March 1 with the final concert in Santa Cruz de Tenerife featuring the Orchestra of Cadaqués with Sir Neville Marriner conducting Mozart's Concerto No. 23 and his Symphony No. 38.

65 Performances to Enjoy

During the eight-week festival, there will be 65 performances - 21 each in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Santa Cruz de Tenerife - and 22 performances on the smaller islands of Lanzarote, La Palma, Fuerteventura, La Gomera and El Hierro. Even the tiny La Graciosa - the smallest of the islands - will host a concert, a performance of Beethoven's Quartets on January 12.

Mezzo soprano Cecilia Bartoli, a four-time Grammy winner, will perform on January 31 and February 2, and the world-renowned Riccardo Muti will conduct the London Philarmonia Orchestra in four performances, February 25-28.

Led by Sir Neville Marriner, the Orchestra of Cadaqués will perform on February 27 and 29 with the Women's Choir of the Philharmonic Orchestra of Gran Canaria and well-known Spanish soprano Ainhoa Arteta. Other top orchestras from several European countries will perform including: The Netherlands Symphony Orchestra, directed by Yakov Kreizberg (January 17-20); the Budapest Festival Orchestra, with Ivan Fischer conducting (January 24-27); the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, led by Daniel Harding (January 28 - February 2), and the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Sakari Oramo (February 12-15).

Year-Round Temperatures Average 70 Degrees

Year-round sunny weather with average temperatures in the 70's has been drawing visitors to the Canary Islands since the 1960s. Lying just 62 miles off the African coast in the Atlantic, these volcanic islands offer beautiful beaches, every water sport imaginable and a variety of striking landscapes. The chain's largest, Tenerife is crowned by the majestic dormant volcano of Mount Teide, Spain's highest peak at 12,195 feet.

For complete information about the festival including dates, programs and venues, visit www.festivaldecanarias.com. All performances start at 8:30 p.m. Tickets range from about $17.70 to $140, or 12 to 95 euros.

To book tickets, visit www.generaltickets.com/cajacanarias/index.cfm.

For information about Spain, contact the Tourist Office of Spain in New York (212-265-8822); Miami (305-358-1992); Chicago (312-642-1992) or Los Angeles (323-658-7195), or visit www.spain.info.