Over nine days, the eighteenth edition of the Cartagena Music Festival captivated more than 12,000 attendees with 24 concerts, lectures, academic activities, and exhibitions, establishing itself as a cultural heritage of the nation. The festival concluded with a performance by the Cartagena Symphony Orchestra, led by Paola Ávila, blending compositions from national and European authors, celebrating over two centuries of music inspired by nature under the theme ‘Symphony of Nature.’

Antonio Miscenà, General Director of the Cartagena Music Festival, praised the event’s success, noting the full houses for nearly all concerts and the exceptional quality of the artistic presentations. The repertoire, with a special focus on Northern European authors, offered audiences unique and seldom-heard works, ranging from Baroque to Modernism, featuring pieces from Antonio Vivaldi, Beethoven, Claude Debussy, and Edvard Grieg.

Colombian artists shined in the last two days of the festival, engaging in a musical dialogue where Caribbean breezes and Andean winds met Norwegian folklore and Scandinavian nature. This included a tribute to Luis Carlos Figueroa, a centenarian from Cali, and featured works by composers like Antonio María Valencia and Adolfo Mejía.

The festival also had a strong academic component, including a Chamber Music Diploma and luthiery workshops, further strengthened by support from the Italian Embassy in Colombia and the Italian Cultural Institute of Bogotá. This educational aspect was complemented by a series of concert-lectures by Italian musicologist Giovanni Bietti.

The Cartagena Music Festival not only celebrated the ‘Symphony of Nature’ but also significantly boosted tourism, benefiting hotels, restaurants, and nightlife venues as 2024 began.