Cole Point

Barcelona’s grand opera house, the Liceu, raises the curtain on its Verdi Year cycle, honouring the centenary of the Italian composer’s death in 1901. The first act is a season of his opera ‘A Masked Ball’, a typically passionate saga of secret romance intertwined with political conspiracy. From Jan 27, the Liceu will mark the actual anniversary of Giuseppe’s death with a marathon three-part concert featuring music from all of his operas. The recently rebuilt and lavishly redecorated Liceu regularly sells out and very early booking is essential.