A premier new festival presented by ABAO Bilbao Opera and Opus Formosa. Bringing world-class artistry to the heart of the Basque Country, we are proud to collaborate with prestigious institutions, including the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, to create an unforgettable week of music.
Read the full press coverage ↗A Visionary Partnership: ABAO Bilbao Opera & Opus Formosa
Basque Musikaste is the inaugural fruit of a strategic alliance between ABAO Bilbao Opera and Opus Formosa. By combining ABAO's deep-rooted history in the European operatic tradition with Opus Formosa's mission to champion world-class artistry on a global stage, we have created a festival that is both local in heart and international in soul.
Our collaboration extends beyond the stage. Through close partnerships with cultural pillars like the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, Musikene, and the Sociedad Filarmónica de Bilbao, we are weaving music into the very architectural and intellectual fabric of the Basque Country. This festival is more than a series of concerts—it is a cultural dialogue, bringing the finest artists from across the globe to one of the world's most vibrant artistic regions.
Press Feature
Full-Page Feature in El Correo
El Correo · 10 June 2026 · Page 12
El Correo — the most widely circulated newspaper in the Basque Country — devoted a full-page feature titled "El último acorde" (The Final Chord) to the closing gala of ABAO Basque Musikaste, highlighting the strategic alliance between ABAO Bilbao Opera and Opus Formosa that brought the festival to life.
The closing concert at the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao drew a distinguished gathering of cultural and government leaders:
- · Juan Carlos Matellanes President, ABAO Bilbao Opera
- · Miren Arzalluz Director, Guggenheim Museum Bilbao
- · Gonzalo Olabarria Councilor of Culture, Bilbao City Council
- · Daniel Solana Director General, Basquetour
Artistic Director Steven Lin and the Festival Director of Opus Formosa were honored to be part of this milestone moment in cross-cultural collaboration.
Read the full article ↗Concerts
Wednesday, 3 June 2026 — 19:30
ABAO Basque Musikaste Vitoria
Sala María de Maeztu
Palacio de Congresos Europa, Vitoria-Gasteiz
Program
- Chopin — Four Scherzos
- Brahms — Violin Sonata No. 1
- Grieg — Violin Sonata No. 2 in G major, Op. 13
Friday, 5 June 2026 — 19:30
ABAO Basque Musikaste Bilbao
Sociedad Filarmónica de Bilbao, Bilbao
Program
- Chausson — Concerto for violin, piano and string quartet in D major, Op. 21
- Dvořák — Piano Quintet No. 2 in A major, Op. 81
Thursday, 4 June 2026 — 19:00
Steven Lin Piano Recital
Musikene, San Sebastián
Program
- Mozart — Twelve Variations on "Ah vous dirais-je, Maman," K. 265
- Chopin — Mazurka in C-sharp minor, Op. 50 No. 3
- Albéniz — From Suite española No. 1, Op. 47: III. Sevilla
- Gershwin — From Songbook: The Man I Love
- Beethoven — Piano Sonata No. 21 in C major, Op. 53 (Waldstein)
- Intermission
- Scarlatti — Sonata K. 9 in D minor
- Mozart — Fantasia No. 3 in D minor, K. 397
- Liszt — Réminiscences de Don Juan, S. 418
Tuesday, 9 June 2026
Bilbao Finale · Steven Lin Piano Recital
Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, Bilbao
Program
- Scarlatti — Sonata K. 9 in D minor
- Mozart — Twelve Variations on "Ah vous dirais-je, Maman," K. 265
- Gershwin — From Songbook: The Man I Love
- Schumann/Liszt — Widmung
- Albéniz — From Suite española No. 1, Op. 47: III. Sevilla
- Intermission
- Guridi — Nostalgia
- Chopin — Mazurka in C-sharp minor, Op. 63 No. 3
- Debussy — Clair de Lune
- Chopin — Polonaise, Op. 53
Featured Artists
Piano · Artistic Director
Steven Lin
Taiwanese-American pianist and Artistic Director of Opus Formosa. Active across North America, Europe, and Asia, Steven is dedicated to connecting Taiwanese musicians across borders and advancing classical music in Taiwan.
stevenlinpiano.com ↗
Violin
Boris Borgolotto
A French violinist of rare communicative brilliance, Boris Borgolotto is a prize-winner at the IBLA Foundation International Competition in New York. His concert career has taken him to Carnegie Hall, the Paris Philharmonie, Wigmore Hall, and the Concertgebouw Amsterdam, performing under conductors including Myung-Whun Chung, Ton Koopman, and Joe Hisaishi.
Piano
Kyohei Sorita
Silver medalist at the XVIII International Chopin Piano Competition—the highest prize for a Japanese-born pianist since Mitsuko Uchida in 1970—Kyohei Sorita is among the most compelling pianists of his generation. Trained at the Tchaikovsky Conservatory and the Chopin University of Music, he has appeared with the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, the Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra, and the NHK Symphony Orchestra.
kyoheisorita.com ↗
String Quartet
Quatuor Arod
First Prize winners of the ARD International Music Competition in Munich, Quatuor Arod are BBC New Generation Artists, ECHO Rising Stars, and exclusive recording artists for Erato/Warner Classics. They perform regularly at Carnegie Hall, the Berlin Philharmonie, and the Vienna Musikverein.
quatuorarod.com ↗Why This Matters
- ✦ Global Reach: We are flying in top-tier artists specifically for this week-long residency.
- ✦ Iconic Backdrops: From the modernism of the Europa Congress Palace to the avant-garde curves of the Guggenheim.
- ✦ Cultural Synergy: A rare opportunity to see two major organizations (ABAO and Opus Formosa) unify their resources for the Basque public.