Rafael Sánchez-Araña

Chief Conductor of Las Palmas Symphony Orchestra

Musical Director of the Canary Islands Zarzuela Season

Novelties

Carmen – Las Palmas Opera (March 2025)

Upcoming events

JUN 26-27-28, 2026

El Gato Montés

Manuel Penella

Madrid

Teatro de La Zarzuela

DEBUT

Orquesta de la Comunidad de Madrid
Coro del Teatro de La Zarzuela
Pequeños Cantores de la ORCAM

Director: Rafael Sánchez-Araña

Director de escena: Christof Loy

TICKETS

Bio

Currently, he serves as the principal conductor of the Las Palmas Symphony Orchestra and the musical director of the Zarzuela Season in the Canary Islands.

Between 2017 and 2023, he held the position of assistant conductor to the principal conductor of the Gran Canaria Philharmonic Orchestra. During this time, he also served as the conductor of the Gran Canaria Youth Orchestra and as the artistic director of the Gran Canaria Philharmonic Orchestra’s School Concerts Season.

He holds an advanced degree in violin performance (Castilla y León, 2007) and choral conducting (Canary Islands, 2012). Between 2012 and 2017, he pursued orchestral conducting studies at the Hochschule für Musik Detmold under the tutelage of Maestro Karl Heinz Bloemeke and at the Hochschule für Musik Carl Maria von Weber Dresden, where he trained with Maestro Georg Christoph Sandmann. He earned a master’s degree in orchestral conducting from the latter institution.

32nd Zarzuela Season of the Canary Islands

October 22, 2024

LIRIC GALA - TO THE BEAT OF ZARZUELA

Sánchez Araña displayed mastery, taste, and attention to detail (La alegría de la huerta), making the strings sing in the interlude of La leyenda del beso. The highlight was La boda de Luis Alonso, thanks to the precise tempi and articulation planning that showcased all sections of the orchestra.
He accompanied the singers with care and aimed to bring the pit music to the stage with the best balance.

La Provincia

12th New Year's Concert in Las Palmas

December 31, 2023

Sánchez Araña, managed to draw a unique sound from the orchestra, highlighting with personality and meticulousness the details of such diverse scores. The maestro pays special attention to and values the solo interventions of the orchestra, such as the trumpet in Waltz No. 2 from Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake. Sánchez-Araña's orchestra does not sound routine, even in the most well-known pieces. The maestro imbues strength, elegance, and robustness. Refined in many concepts, he ensures that the writing of each instrument fills every corner of the hall, that the melodies glide effortlessly, and that the connection with the audience is more impactful

Opera World

«La del manojo de rosas» in Las Palmas

September 24, 2023

Rafael Sánchez Araña, "The conductor skillfully recreated all these styles with clarity, balance, and definition, avoiding, for example, the percussion dominating the orchestral atmosphere. Sánchez-Araña was vibrant in the more rhythmic musical numbers, while also being lyrical and intimate in the romances and duets, and in the leitmotif, starting from the protagonist's romance, which intoxicates the entire work. The conductor maintained ideal tempos, allowing the soloists to comfortably expand, despite the challenge of doubling the same melody as the orchestra with their voices. "An admirable and meticulous work on Pablo Sorozábal's score

Opera World

A Requiem with prestige in its first local performance

April 07, 2022

Rafael Sánchez Araña offered us an honest and meticulously planned interpretation, seeking clarity in the direction of the voices

Ritmo.es

A Necessary 'Don Pasquale' at the Pérez Galdós

March 25, 2022

the Gran Canarian Rafael Sánchez-Araña not only maintained the tension of the Gran Canaria Philharmonic at all times without losing the necessary liveliness in the Italian comic opera, but also achieved a seamless communion with the singers. His direction of the melancholic trumpet solo in the introduction of 'Povero Ernesto' was magnificent

ÓperaActual

A 'Luisa Fernanda' that marks a change in trend

October 18, 2021

Rafael Sánchez Araña was able to draw from the OFGC that energy which, without abrupt changes, managed to link with the most elegiac moments of the score

ÓperaActual