Semana de Musica Religiosa Festival

During the Holy week Cuenca becomes a destination for sacred music lovers from all over Europe, enjoying concerts in a UNESCO Heritage site in Cuenca.

A music festival based upon the treasure of liturgical music. The concert programmes are dominated by the religious music belonging to the historical and contemporary repertoire of Christianity. The Cuenca 'Semana de Musica Religiosa' Festival is one of the oldest festivals on the Iberian Peninsula. The first festival, in 1954, marked the foundation of one of the most successful cultural events ever produced. Perched on its cliff, this old, medieval city offers a spectacular backdrop that has aroused awe and admiration for centuries. The concerts and performances are presented in disused churches that date back to the Middle Ages. Programs have remained faithful to the theme of the Festival since its inception and are based on three main lines: 1. Performance of Religious Heritage. These works may be ecclesiastical or not, vocal, instrumental or theatrical. 2. Recovery of Heritage. There is still an enormous amount of music lying dormant in libraries, archives, monasteries, cathedrals, etc. 3. Creation of Heritage. Since its beginning, works have been commissioned from the main, representative composers of contemporary Spanish music, including as Ernesto and Rodolfo Halffter, Joaqufn Rodrigo, Frederico Mompou, Oscar Esplá, Cristobal Halffter, Carmelo Bernaola, Tomás Marco, José Ramón Encinar, Mauricio Sotelo, and many more.