Like every year, music lovers have a special quote at the Quincena Musical in San Sebastian. Despite the crisis, this festival maintains the usual quality levels, interesting proposals and the most attractive cycles for the public.

This year’s edition offers jewels such as the Don Giovanni opera by Mozart; performing the Ballet Tristan and Isolda of the Geneva Theatre; or the Budapest Festival Orchestra of orchestra stars and the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra. However, I am not going to go into the big cycles. A great deal will be said and written about these sessions. My attention will focus on some hidden treasures of the Fortnight that allow us to enjoy music and more things. The Aitzaki cycle has its motivation in the title. Music, being the center of these performances, is the way to get to know our people. This cycle is particularly juicy in this year’s edition. We will visit our coast: In Hondarribia, Zumaia, Mutriku, Deba, Orio, Getaria and Pasai San Pedro we find concerts and interesting activities in the program. I find it very attractive, for example, the August 20 tour from Deba to the Olatz district of Mutriku, to take the route of the Camino de Santiago along the coast of Gipuzkoa. Besides enjoying nature, the music will be the protagonist at different moments of the day.

Also curious will be the Zambra Baroque program to be offered on 10 August in the winery Hiruzta de Hondarribia, with the hand of Andreas Prittwitz and Lookingback Septet. We will have the opportunity to enjoy an innovative view of Baroque music, but if we add to that the dinner that will be held afterwards, it will undoubtedly become a global date.

The activities of the Fortnight will take place in several localities on the coast. But apart from that, we'll be able to visit other places. The Euskadi Symphony Orchestra will act in Senpere on 19 August to interpret works by Mozart and Vivaldi. We will continue with baroque music in the programme that will take place at the Monastery of Leyre, in charge of the group Brillant Magnus Quintet, on 20 August. On 25 August the '15' show of Armenian violinist Ara Malikian will arrive in Arantzazu, a fusion of classical music and arrangements of popular music. Don’t miss these unique opportunities.