The Cartagena Festival in Colombia was inaugurated eighteen years ago under the artistic direction of Charles Wadsworth, who led the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center for many years. Now under the leadership of General Director Antonio Miscena, the annual Festival offers a plethora of Symphonic and Chamber Concerts, Recitals, and Vocal Concerts featuring international artists of the highest caliber. Great Performance Tours has been in attendance almost every year, the only recent exception being 2021 because of COVID. The Festival continues to offer full programs with an ‘embarrassment of musical riches’.

For January of 2025, the Festival is titled THE SONG OF THE SEA, continuing the journey initiated in 2023 with ‘The Song of the Earth’ emphasizing the music of Russia and Eastern Europe and in 2024 with ‘The Symphony of Nature’ focused on Scandinavia and Northern Europe. This year will explore the national identity of Spain and the Iberian Peninsula as expressed in the works of Albéniz (‘Iberia’), Granados (‘Goyescas’), Rodrigo (Concierto de Aranjuez’, and especially Manuel De Falla – the Andalucian-born native son whose musical legacy includes ‘Nights in the Garden of Spain’, ‘The Three-Cornered Hat’, ‘El Amor Brujo’ and ‘La Vida Breve’. For our busy schedule of concerts, each program will open with the Spanish masters and then expand to well-known international composers influenced by the distinctly Mediterranean melodies and rhythms, such as Liszt (‘Spanish Rhapsody’), Bizet (‘Carmen Suite’), Chabrier (‘Spanish Dances’), Ravel, Boccherini, Scarlatti, and Rimsky-Koraskov.

The resident chamber orchestra for ’25 will be the Orquesta de Castilla y León from Valladolid, conducted by Thierry Fischer, the Swiss-born Music Director and flautist. (This year’s roster of distinguished soloist has not yet been announced.

Our Tour package of seven performances will start with the Festival’s Opening Night on January 4th. As complete program details are still subject to confirmation, we will wait until our Final Itinerary to announce the day-by-day schedule and our choices. Our price includes a per-person Patron contribution to the Festival to support its education and social outreach program. As Patrons, we are welcome to attend morning lectures and late-evening programs; and we are invited to two private parties for VIP’s during our stay (details will be in our Final Itinerary).

The colonial Spanish-style ‘old town’ – designated a Unesco World Heritage Site – has become a proud showplace for the Colombian government. The narrow streets of restored 18th century (and earlier) houses are lined with picturesque balconies overflowing with tropical flowers and vines. Everyone who has joined us on our previous Tours has fallen in love with this Festival within easy reach of U.S. airports. The January weather is glorious every day, with a cooling sea-breeze in the afternoons and not a cloud in the brilliant blue sky. (Our hotel is in the heart of the ‘old town’, where the atmosphere is completely safe and comfortable, far removed from the high-rise commercial district in Boca Grande which serves a different international business clientele.)

In response to the growing attraction of Cartagena as an international destination, Jet Blue now offers direct round-trip service from Kennedy Airport. Convenient direct service is also offered on American Airlines (and Avianca Airlines) from Miami.

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Prices Per Person (Air Fare not Included)

Double Occupancy: $5,150
Single Occupancy: $6,130