Under the direction of Toledo conductor Ulises Illán, the ensemble Nereydas will present a concert titled Cristalina fuente on Saturday, 10 October, at the Cathedral of Toledo. This event will highlight the rich heritage of cathedral music from the 17th and 18th centuries.
Ana Pérez, the city’s Councillor for Culture and Heritage, introduced the concert, emphasising the importance of understanding Toledo's heritage not just as tangible assets but also as intangible cultural treasures, with music playing a fundamental role. She stated that initiatives like this concert allow for the recovery, dissemination, and enjoyment of the musical heritage within its original setting.
Ulises Illán explained that Cristalina fuente offers a journey through the liturgical calendar of the Cathedral of Toledo, featuring a selection of works associated with Christmas, the Virgin of the Sagrario, Corpus Christi, and Holy Week. The programme includes pieces by chapel masters such as Jaime Casellas, Juan Rosell, Francisco Juncà, and Francisco José Ruano, blending vocal and instrumental music, and will also feature the reconstruction of the Lira del Cielo.
Illán noted that the project represents an effort to recover and conserve Toledo's musical heritage, culminating in a live recording and subsequent sessions at the Convent of Santo Domingo el Real. Musicologist Carlos Martínez Gil, who has conducted much of the research and recovery of the scores, explained that the repertoire draws from the Cathedral’s archives, allowing for the revival of works that have remained in manuscripts for nearly 300 years.
The concert will include excerpts linked to various moments in the liturgical calendar and will also revive compositions by musicians active in the Cathedral during the 18th century. Nereydas, under Illán’s direction, will feature sopranos Margarita Rodríguez and Alexandra Tarniceru, alongside the Lira del Cielo.
The concert is scheduled for Saturday, 10 October, at 20:00 in the Primatial Cathedral, as part of the celebrations for the VIII Centenary of Toledo Cathedral and the 40th anniversary of Toledo's designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A pre-concert talk will take place at 19:00 in the Sala Capitular de Verano.
