Alejandro Marichal: “The choice of the Maspalomas Lighthouse, as an emblematic location, and the San Fernando Park reinforces the open character of a Christmas designed for residents, visitors and tourists.”
Yilenia Vega: “It will be an intimate and immersive concert, illuminated by the light of more than 300 candles, with a stage design created to recreate a warm and welcoming atmosphere.”
The Department of Festivals and Events, headed by Yilenia Vega, has scheduled two concerts of the show "Magical Christmas: Music by Candlelight" in two emblematic public spaces in the municipality. The Maspalomas Lighthouse and San Fernando Park will be the chosen venues for two evenings of magic and Christmas carols, to be held on Tuesday, December 23, and Thursday, December 26, respectively. On both days, at 19:00 p.m., artists David Batista, on keyboard, and Alejandro Cardona, on flute, will offer a free Christmas recital for the enjoyment of residents and visitors.
As explained by the Councilor for Festivals and Events, Yilenia Vega: “Magical Christmas, Music by Candlelight” will be an intimate and immersive concert, illuminated by the light of more than 300 candles, with a stage design created to recreate a warm and welcoming atmosphere. The performance is conceived as a participatory experience in which the audience not only listens but can also accompany the repertoire with applause and singing, fostering direct interaction with the performers. During the concert, attendees will enjoy a repertoire designed to connect with audiences of different ages and backgrounds, including songs in Spanish, English, and German, with opportunities for interaction.
The Christmas program, organized by the Department of Festivals and Events, aims to reach diverse audiences and offer activities that appeal to everyone. 'Magical Christmas' includes an international repertoire as well as well-known Christmas carols. As First Deputy Mayor Alejandro Marichal points out, "The choice of the Maspalomas Lighthouse, as an iconic location, and San Fernando Park, as a central meeting place, allows Christmas to be celebrated and shared by residents, visitors, and tourists alike."
The planned songs include titles such as Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, Somewhere in My Memory, Santa Claus Is Coming to Town, Feliz Navidad, Silent Night, White Christmas, Jingle Bell Rock, All I Want for Christmas Is You, Rudolph, O Tannenbaum, Once Upon a December, and Hallelujah, forming a selection aimed at a local and international audience.
The Department of Festivities and Events invites residents and visitors to attend the two events, on December 23 and 26, at 19:00 p.m., at the Maspalomas Lighthouse and in San Fernando Park, respectively, as two consecutive opportunities to enjoy a candlelit concert in emblematic spaces of the municipality during the central week of Christmas.
About the performers
David Batista, originally from Arucas, is a professional opera singer who began his musical training at the age of ten, singing in the choirs of the Gran Canaria Philharmonic Orchestra for seven years. After completing his training in the Canary Islands and the Netherlands, he finished his advanced vocal studies at the Canary Islands Higher Conservatory of Music in 2023. He has participated in numerous shows in Europe as a soloist, choir member, actor, and dancer, and also develops his artistic side as Drag Shíky, with which he has won several awards at drag galas in the Canary Islands, including the crown at the 2023 Drag Gala in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Throughout his career, he has performed in countries such as the Netherlands, Germany, Norway, Finland, and the Czech Republic, as well as in cities like Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Ibiza, and various locations throughout the archipelago.
Alejandro Cardona, also from Arucas, began his musical training at the age of three at the Arucas Art Schools and, at five, chose the flute as his instrument. He continued his studies at these schools until 2019, when he joined the Arucas City Symphonic Band. During his training, he studied solo flute, ensemble flute, and choir, and in recent years he has performed as a soloist on several occasions, taking his music to stages in Gran Canaria, as well as Málaga and La Palma, in addition to participating in two island flute festivals.
