Entertainment

The Fundación Orquesta y Coro de la Comunidad de Madrid (ORCAM) is set to launch its first full concert season at the historic Teatro Auditorio de San Lorenzo de El Escorial, marking a new chapter for both the orchestra and the venue. Under the artistic direction of Alondra de la Parra, the season will run from March 6th to December 22nd, 2026, offering a diverse program of classical music performances.

This initiative underscores the Comunidad de Madrid’s commitment to bolstering the region’s cultural landscape. According to Mariano de Paco Serrano, the Consejero de Cultura, Turismo y Deporte of the Comunidad de Madrid, the Teatro Auditorio de San Lorenzo de El Escorial, alongside the Teatros del Canal, is now a cornerstone of the new Centro Dramático, Coreográfico y Musical de la Comunidad de Madrid. The venue, celebrating its 20th anniversary, is being revitalized as a primary home for the ORCAM and a host for a variety of performing arts events, leveraging its unique natural and architectural setting.

For Alondra de la Parra, who assumed the role of artistic director of the Teatro Auditorio in November 2025, this season represents a significant step forward. “What we have is the beginning of a new and exciting stage for the ORCAM, and a new phase for the Teatro Auditorio,” she stated, emphasizing the organization’s dedication to bringing classical music to a wider audience throughout the Comunidad de Madrid and beyond.

Mahler and Spiritual Works Highlight the Season’s Opening

The inaugural concert on Friday, March 6th, will feature the Orquesta de la Comunidad de Madrid performing Gustav Mahler’s monumental “Titan” – his First Symphony – under the baton of De la Parra. The orchestra will also perform this piece on March 10th at the Auditorio Nacional de Música in Madrid as part of the ORCAM’s 2025/26 season. This ambitious opening sets the tone for a season that promises both grandeur and intimacy.

The season will also dedicate a special focus to spiritual music during Semana Santa, with three concerts scheduled for April 1st, 4th, and 5th. On April 1st, the Coro de la Comunidad de Madrid, accompanied by an instrumental ensemble from the ORCAM, will perform Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater and Vivaldi’s Gloria, led by Javier Carmena. The Cuarteto Bretón, a renowned Spanish chamber ensemble, will then take the stage on April 4th with Haydn’s The Seven Last Words of Christ. Finally, on April 5th, a concert in collaboration with the Festival Internacional de Arte Sacro will complete the Semana Santa offerings.

Zarzuela, Shostakovich, and Brahms Round Out the Program

The celebrations of the Fiestas de San Isidro in May will be marked by a special zarzuela program on Saturday, May 16th, directed by José Luis López Antón and featuring the Orquesta y Coro de la Comunidad de Madrid. This performance will showcase some of the most beloved works from the Spanish zarzuela tradition.

On July 5th, the Joven Orquesta de la Comunidad de Madrid (JORCAM) will present a concert featuring Dmitri Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 9 and Johannes Brahms’ Symphony No. 2, conducted by Peruvian director Dayner Tafur-Díez. This performance will be repeated on July 7th at the Auditorio Nacional de Música, again as part of the ORCAM’s 2025/26 season.

The season will continue on October 16th with a concert directed by Alondra de la Parra, and will culminate on December 22nd with a final concert led by Iván López Reynoso. The programs for these last two concerts will be announced at a later date.

The ORCAM’s inaugural season at the Teatro Auditorio de San Lorenzo de El Escorial promises a vibrant and diverse musical experience for audiences in Madrid and beyond. As the orchestra embarks on this new chapter, it reaffirms its commitment to bringing the power and beauty of classical music to a wider community. Further details and ticket information can be found on the Teatro Auditorio de El Escorial website: teatroauditorioescorial.es/.

With a carefully curated program and the leadership of Alondra de la Parra, the ORCAM’s season at the Teatro Auditorio is poised to turn into a significant cultural event. The announcement of the final concert programs in October will undoubtedly generate further excitement among music enthusiasts.

What are your thoughts on the ORCAM’s new season? Share your excitement in the comments below!

The Canadian comedy Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie, released February 13, isn’t just a film. it’s a layered, self-referential experience that playfully bends time, reality, and the very notion of a band trying to make it. Director and co-writer Matt Johnson, alongside composer and co-star Jay McCarrol, deliver a meta-comedy that’s as much about the making of the film – and the web series and television show that preceded it – as it is about the band itself. The film, described as an indie take on “Back to the Future,” throws audiences into a whirlwind of timelines and formats, appealing to both longtime fans and newcomers, though the experience may vary depending on prior familiarity with the Nirvanna universe.

For those unfamiliar, Nirvanna the Band the Show originated as a web series created by Johnson and McCarrol between 2007 and 2009, later adapted into a Viceland television series that ran for two seasons from 2017 to 2018. According to Wikipedia, a third season was partially produced but remains unaired. The film builds upon this history, presenting a narrative where Johnson and McCarrol, playing fictionalized versions of themselves, attempt increasingly outlandish schemes to achieve musical success. Their latest, and most ambitious, plan involves time travel.

The film kicks off with a spectacularly ill-advised stunt: a parachute jump from Toronto’s CN Tower into the Rogers Centre stadium. This audacious attempt at publicity, documented with a guerrilla filmmaking style reminiscent of Sacha Baron Cohen, fails spectacularly but sets the stage for the central conceit of the movie. Driven by desperation, Johnson proposes traveling back to 2008 in an RV to alter their past and secure their band’s fame. This premise immediately establishes the film’s playful relationship with the 1985 classic, “Back to the Future,” a connection that permeates the narrative, both structurally and musically. McCarrol’s orchestral score even pays homage to Alan Silvestri’s iconic composition for the original film.

What sets Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie apart is the clever apply of archival footage from the 2008 web series. Johnson and McCarrol essentially act opposite their younger selves, creating a dynamic where altering the past leads to unexpected and often hilarious consequences. The resulting timeline sees McCarrol achieving pop stardom while Johnson is left behind, fueling a jealousy-driven farce that forms the core of the film’s comedic engine. As the Los Angeles Times notes, the film shows “little audience favoritism,” embracing confusion as part of the experience.

The film’s appeal will undoubtedly be heightened for those already invested in the Nirvanna saga. The frantic climax, echoing the iconic lightning-meets-DeLorean scene from “Back to the Future,” will resonate as a nostalgic callback. Though, newcomers may uncover themselves grappling with the film’s intricate layers and inside jokes. Despite this, Johnson’s deadpan humor and the sheer audacity of the filmmaking approach create a compelling viewing experience.

Johnson and McCarrol’s commitment to DIY filmmaking and their willingness to embrace absurdity are on full display. As NPR’s Scott Simon points out in a recent interview, explaining the film is a challenge in itself. The film’s runtime is 1 hour and 35 minutes and is rated R for language and brief violence.

Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie isn’t just a comedy; it’s a testament to the power of independent filmmaking and the enduring appeal of a good, self-aware joke. While a sequel hasn’t been officially announced, the film’s open-ended nature and dedicated fanbase suggest that this may not be the last we see of Nirvanna’s time-traveling misadventures.

What comes next for Johnson and McCarrol remains to be seen, but their track record suggests they’ll continue to push boundaries and challenge expectations. Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie is currently playing in limited release, and is sure to spark conversation among fans of meta-comedy and independent film. What did you reckon of the film? Share your thoughts in the comments below.