Canary Islands To Host 65 Concerts January to March 2008

If you love classical music and perfect weather, don't miss the 24th Annual Music Festival of the Canaries. The eight week long festival kicks off on January 10 and lasts through March 1, 2008. Truly a classical music lover's dream vacation.

The Alfredo Kraus Auditorium in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria will host the first of the 65 concerts on January 10, 2008. The first concert of the festival will consist 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).

Of course the festival isn't centralized to one island. In fact, eight of the Canary Islands will host performances during the eight week festival. The smaller islands of Lanzarote, La Palma, Fuerteventura, La Gomera and El Hierro will host twenty-two of the performances. Even La Graciosa, the smallest of the Canary Islands, will host a performance of Beethoven's Quartets on January 12.

Performances during the 24th Annual Music Festival of the Canaries include:

* Four-time Grammy winner Cecilia Bartoli, January 31 and February 2.
* World-renowned Riccardo Muti will be conducting the London Philarmonia Orchestra in four performances, February 25 - 28.
* The Orchestra of Cadaques, led by Sir Neville Marriner with the Women's Choir of the Philharmonic Orchestra of Gran Canaria and Ainhoa Arteta, February 27 - 29.
* The Netherlands Symphony Orchestra, directed by Yakov Kreizberg, January 17 - 20.
* The Budapest Festival Orchestra, conducted by Ivan Fischer will perform January 24 - 27.
* The Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, led by Daniel Harding, January 28 through February 2.
* The Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, directed by Sakari Oramo, February 12 - 15.

Since the mid 1960s, the Canary Islands have been a much sought-after vacation spot. Located a mere 62 miles off the African coast in the Atlantic, the islands offer beautiful volcanic scenery, beaches and many water sports. With year-round average temperatures around 70 degrees Fahrenheit, they are the perfect winter getaway.

The festival will include nearly every island from Tenerife, the largest of the Canary Islands to La Graciosa, the smallest island. The fourth largest island of Lanzarote, named for its red mountains, will host several of the festival's upcoming concerts. Lanzarote is well known for its picturesque volcanic landscapes. It is perhaps also just as well known for its futuristic appearance and controlled development of wildlife and plant life.

Lanzarote is home to more than 100,000 people and has its own international airport. The island relies on tourism as well as agriculture to maintain its economy. Millions of visitors each year enjoy the black sand beaches and unique experience that only Lanzarote can offer.

The 24th Annual Music Festival of the Canaries allows Lanzarote, as well as the other Canary Islands, to showcase their beauty for classical music lovers who gather for the festival. The beautiful mountains and vast beaches are an amazing setting for such a time-honored festival.