Exhibition Opens in Honour of Casals’ 150th Anniversary
The exhibition 'Pau Casals, música per la pau' (Pau Casals, music for peace) opens to the public at Palau Robert in Barcelona on Thursday 22nd October 2026 and will run until Sunday 10th January 2027. Admission is free. Curated by Núria Ballester, director of the Museu Pau Casals in El Vendrell, the exhibition marks the 150th anniversary of the renowned Catalan cellist’s birth and highlights how he placed his art 'at the service of peace'. It is organised by Palau Robert in collaboration with the Fundació Pau Casals and Fundación La Caixa.
Five-Part Exploration of Casals’ Legacy
The exhibition is structured into five thematic areas. The first introduces Pau Casals’ biography, showcasing his virtuosity and dedication to freedom, democracy, and human rights. The second section explores music as a universal form of communication, featuring a dedicated space on Johann Sebastian Bach’s Cello Suites, which Casals famously revived and popularised in the late 19th century. The third area focuses on music as a tool for protest and civic engagement, while the fourth highlights its role as a message of peace. The final section gathers reflections on Casals from prominent figures including Albert Einstein, Thomas Mann, and Jean Sibelius, alongside interviews with musicians such as Miklós Perényi, a former student of Casals, cellist Pablo Ferrández, and conductor Antoni Ros Marbà. Humanitarian Òscar Camps, founder of Open Arms, also contributes.
It is an exhibition that presents the most combative Pau Casals, the Pau Casals who put his art, his music, at the service of peace.
Núria Ballester told the ACN that the exhibition aims to be highly communicative, combining original documents with audiovisual materials and excerpts from Casals’ speeches at the United Nations. She stressed that his message remains relevant today, particularly amid ongoing global conflicts.
Future Venues and Cultural Programme
After its run in Barcelona, the exhibition will travel to CaixaForum Madrid in February 2027, followed by the Museu Pau Casals in El Vendrell (Tarragona) from June to August 2027. This exhibition is part of the wider 'Any Pau Casals' (Year of Pau Casals) cultural programme, which includes concerts and events across Catalonia commemorating the musician’s legacy. For further details on the exhibition and related activities, visit the official Fundació Pau Casals website.
Visitor Information
Palau Robert is open Monday to Saturday from 9:00 to 20:00, and on Sundays and public holidays from 9:00 to 14:30. The exhibition is accessible and free to enter. It is located at Passeig de Gràcia 107, in the Eixample district of Barcelona.
Primary sources: barcelona.cat. Reported by europapress.es, Europa Press, enderrock.cat, ARA, catalunyaexperience.it, paucasals.org, Europa Press Barcelona.
