The Festival de Música Antiga dels Pirineus, known as FeMAP, opened its 15th edition in La Seu d'Urgell on Friday with a programme devoted to 18th-century Barcelona repertoire. For Alt Urgell residents and businesses, the launch marks the start of this summer's festival activity in the town, bringing visitors for concerts and placing La Seu d'Urgell at the centre of one of the Pyrenees' best-known classical music events.

This year's opening concert featured music associated with Barcelona Cathedral and included previously unpublished pieces recovered from Barcelona archives, according to reporting by ACN and festival information published by FeMAP. The programme forms part of a festival that presents early music across municipalities in the Pyrenees.

Opening night starts FeMAP's 15th summer programme

FeMAP's opening in La Seu d'Urgell begins the 2026 edition of a festival that has reached its 15th year. The event is held in the Pyrenees and programmes early music concerts in towns across the mountain area, with La Seu d'Urgell hosting the opening performance this year.

The concert's focus on 18th-century Barcelona music gave the first night a clear historical thread. Reporting by Marc Codinas for ACN said the performance included unpublished works rescued from archives in Barcelona, while coverage by Xavier Cervantes in Ara described the repertoire as music tied to the sound world of Barcelona Cathedral.

The 15th edition of FeMAP opens in La Seu d'Urgell with a programme focused on 18th-century Barcelona music.

That choice matters locally because FeMAP is not only a touring cultural event but also one of the summer fixtures that draws audiences into Pyrenean towns. In La Seu d'Urgell, that means added activity for hospitality businesses and a high-profile cultural event at the start of the season for residents who want access to live music without travelling to Barcelona.

What is confirmed about the programme

The verified source material establishes several concrete points about the opening of the festival:

  • FeMAP has begun its 15th edition.
  • The opening took place in La Seu d'Urgell.
  • The first programme was centred on 18th-century music from Barcelona.
  • The opening concert included unpublished pieces recovered from archives in Barcelona, as reported by ACN.

FeMAP's own website describes the event as the Pyrenees Early Music Festival and publishes information on its concert programme and venues. Secondary coverage in Ara places the opening repertoire in the context of music connected to Barcelona Cathedral, adding detail to the historical focus of the first concert.

Why it matters in Alt Urgell

For local residents, the immediate consequence is practical as well as cultural: the festival season is now under way in La Seu d'Urgell, with concerts expected to bring audiences into the town and add to summer footfall for bars, restaurants and accommodation providers. For regular concertgoers in Alt Urgell, the opening also means access to a specialist early music programme in their own comarca rather than only in larger cities.

People who want to check upcoming performances, dates and venues can do so through the official FeMAP website, where the festival publishes its programme.

Reported by Source Text Link, Marc Codinas / ACN, Xavier Cervantes, femap.cat, redaccion, Ergates Informàtica (Barcelona, Catalunya), Redacción, Paula Valls, Diari Catalunya.