Opening Ceremony
The fanfares and symphonic works of Santos from opening and closing ceremonies of Barcelona 1992 can be found on his special Olympic CD - Música Para Las Ceremonias Olímpicas Barcelona 92.
Overture : Hola! - "Obertura Hola", composed by Carles Santos
Welcome - "Benvinguts" or "welcome" in Catalan, composed by Joan Lluís Moraleda and Lluís Serrahima and performed by Josep Carreras and Montserrat Caballe.
Land of Passion - "Yermita" by Francisco Arriaga, Sevillan music by Gualberto García. "Te Quiero, Morena" by Placido Domingo, the traditional flamenco piece "Sevillana" and "Del Cabello Mas Sutil" by Alfredo Kraus. Extracts of the theme of "Boccherini (La ritirata)" were used for the sounds of the drums from Aragón.
Entre Dos Mundos by Placido Domingo contains the song 'Te Quiero Morena'.
The Mediterranean ; Olympic Sea - "El Mar Mediterrani", a 15 minute composition by Ryuichi Sakamoto, performed by the City of Barcelona Orchestra
Ryuichi Sakamoto's work can be found on his CD, Cinemage - released in 1997.
His official website has this review:
On a far grander scale is the swirling "El Mar Mediterrani," which begins with tolling fanfares and pulsating drums as it invokes a sense of occasion. As it follows, this episodic piece goes far beyond the typically rousing Olympiad theme in the range of sensations it conjures. Having fallen in love with Barcelona - from the architecture of Gaudi and the music of Mompou to the intrepid dance company Fura dels Baus that participated in the opening ceremonies - Sakamoto penned an Impressionistic soundtrack to a majestic spectacle, with hints of Catalan color, nods to Debussy's "La Mer" and shades of Sakamoto's past work coming together in a whole of energy and spirit.- Bradley Bambarger
A percussive medley based on themes and variations of traditional Spanish pieces. Composed and arranged by Carlos Miranda. "España" composed by Carlos Miranda greets the Spanish team.
"Hellenism", composed by Mikis Theodorakis and performed by Greek mezzo-soprano Agnes Baltsa.
Hellenism
The song is based of Greek poet Iannis Ritsos, who was imprisoned and deported on several occasions for his opposition to the dictatorial regimes in power in his native country and is an arranged version of "Tha Semanoun oi Kampanes" (The Bells Will Ring).
The raising of the flag was to "Olympic Hymn", performed by tenor, Alfredo Kraus.
The XXV Olympiad - "XXVth Anniversary Theme" composed by Angelo Badalamenti.
"The Flaming Arrow" and "Olympic Torch Theme" composed by Angelo Badalamenti.
Fanfarra by Carles Santos
"Friends for Life", written by Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber and performed by the opening ceremony choir.
Human Pyramids - Music of the popular Catalan instrument, "Gralles".
Opera, Music for the Universe - An opera medley arranged by Tony Parera just for the opening ceremony entitled
"Barcelona Games Medley". Conducted by Garcia Navarro with the City of Barcelona Symphony Orchestra and Montserrat Caballé (soprano), Teresa Berganza (mezzosoprano), Joan Pons (baritone) and tenors, Giacomo Aragall, José Carreras, Plácido Domingo.
The Barcelona Games Medley for the prelude to the finale of the opening ceremony can be found on the CD Barcelona.
The medley consists of :
Prelude from Carmen
Brindisi from La Traviata
Barcarolle from Les Contes d'Hoffmann
Quando me'n vo from La Boheme
La fleur que tu m'avais jetée from Carmen
Di Provenza from La Traviata
Bella figlia dell'amore from Rigoletto
Vesti la giubba from Pagliacci
E lucevan le stelle from Tosca
Una voce poco fa from Il barbiere di Siviglia
Casta diva from Norma
Largo al factotum from Il barbiere di Siviglia
Toreador, en garde! from Carmen
Habanera from Carmen
La donna è mobile from Rigoletto
Di quella pira from Il trovatore
Ritorna vincitor from Aida
"Symphony No. 9", the "Ode to Joy" composed by Ludwig Van Beethoven - the official anthem of the European Union. Performed by Eleazor Colomer with Montserrat Caballé (soprano), Teresa Berganza (mezzosoprano), Joan Pons (baritone) and tenors, Giacomo Aragall, José Carreras, Plácido Domingo.
Closing Ceremony
A Very Special Race - A fanfare by Josep María Bardagí.
Concierto de Aranjuez, composed by Joaquín Rodrigo and performed by guitarist Feliu Gasull with the City of Barcelona Symphony Orchestra. Conducted by Josep Pons.
"Cancion del Fuego Fatuo" composed by Manuel de Falla and performed by Teresa Berganza (mezzo-soprano).
"Symphony No. 9", the "Ode to Joy" composed by Ludwig Van Beethoven - the official anthem of the European Union. "España" composed by Carles Santos.
Fanfarra by Carles Santos
The Olympic fanfare by Carles Santos.
Olympic anthem, sung by Plácido Domingo
"El Cant Dels Ocells" (The Song of the Birds) composed by Pau Casals, arranged by Xavier Montsalvatge and performed by cellist, Lluís Claret and soprano Victoria de los Ángeles with the City of Barcelona Symphony Orchestra and conductor, L.A García Navarro. From her CD, Cantos de España
The Fire Festival
"Overture" composed by Koniec
"Planetarium" composed by Joan Albert Amargós
"Demons and Monsters" composed by Michael Weiss and Carles Elmeaua
Amigos Para Siempre, written by Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber and performed by Sarah Brightman and Josep Carreras.
"Cobi's Farewell", composed by Carles Santos.
"Pyromusical", composed by Carles Santos and performed by Banda Simfònica de la Unió Musical de Llíria, Cor de València, Cor d´Asdrúbila, Orquestra Ciutat de Barcelona
Medley of Spanish music by Peret, Los Amaya, et al
The slogan for the games, Amics per sempre (Forever friends), inspired the well-known song of the same name heard throughout the Games and subsequently in a recording by the tenor Josep Carreras. The latter was also the musical director for the opening and closing ceremonies, which included performances by a large number of prestigious names from the world of the performing arts: the theatre groups La Fura del Baus and the Comediants; great opera singers of the likes of Montserrat Caballé, Plácido Domingo, Jaume Aragall, Victòria dels Àngels, Josep Carreras himself and the late Alfredo Kraus. And let’s not forget the splendid collaboration between the late Freddie Mercury, lead singer of the British pop group Queen, and Montserrat Caballé in the recording of Barcelona to promote the ’92 Olympics.
