Basque culture especially remembers in March 2025 the death of the Basque fashion designer Cristóbal Balenciaga in 1972, at the age of 77. The date is even more relevant because this year marks the 130th anniversary of his birth. I am pleased to inform you that the Balenciaga Museum in Getaria will reopen on March 7th with its new exhibition “Cristobal Balenciaga: Technique, Material, and Form”. And we have more. On March 7th, 1875, the French Basque composer Joseph Maurice Ravel was born. We are celebrating 150 years since this event. The so-called “Ravel Bolero” was composed by the author in homage to the dancer Ida Rubinstein.

It is also the 150th anniversary of the arrival in the Basque capital Vitoria-Gasteiz, at the age of 21st, of Heraclio Fournier González. Born on March 2nd, 1849 in Burgos, he was the creator of the Heraclio Fournier S.A. playing card company. His arrival in the Basque Country in 1870 is a consequence of his marriage, that same year, to Nieves Partearroyo from Bilbao. His playing cards, for their design and quality, received the bronze medal at the Universal Exhibition in Paris in 1889. Today, the brand and company belong to the North American company Cartamundi. The Vitorian Félix Alfaro Fournier, grandson of Heraclio, inherited and developed a large collection of playing cards. I invite you to discover the best international collection of playing cards, cards and playing cards or Tarot at the Playing Card Museum in Vitoria-Gasteiz.

50 years ago, on March 4th, 1975, the first meeting of the General Assembly of the World Tourism Organization was held in Madrid (and this city was established as the headquarters on that same day). And only 30 years separate us this March from the opening to the free movement of people between Germany, Belgium, Spain, France, Holland, Luxembourg and Portugal.

World Opera Day is on October 25th, the birth anniversary of Georges Bizet (in 1838) and Johann Strauss II (in 1825, 200 years in 2025). However, this March 3rd we celebrate the 150th anniversary of the premiere of Bizet’s opera Carmen in Paris. The aria L’amour est un oiseau rebelle from Carmen is one of the most famous operas in the world. However, it is quite unknown that this aria is based on “El Arreglito”; a habanera by the Basque composer Sebastián Iradier, who died in Vitoria-Gasteiz. Also in March, Nabucco, Rigoletto and La Traviata by Giuseppe Verdi would premiere.

March without mentioning women is like April without mentioning spring. In 1875 (150 years in 2025) the first demonstration by women in the textile industry in the USA took place demanding their rights. In 1908, the so-called “Bread and Roses” movement demanded the right to vote, better wages, shorter working hours and the elimination of child labour. The first National Women’s Day was in the USA in 1908, in March 1911 in Europe (Germany, Denmark and Switzerland) and in Spain in 1936. The UN institutionalised March 8th as the International Day for Women’s Rights in 1975, and also as International Peace Day in 1978.

Coincidentally, on March 15th, the philosopher, astronomer and writer Hypatia was stoned in Egypt 1,610 years ago. In 1910, Alfonso XIII allowed Spanish women to pursue higher education; and the Baroness de Laroche was awarded the title of aviation pilot for the first time. And 10 years later, women, except black women, could vote in the United States. In Spain, women were given the right to vote for the first time in 1933, but lost it along with men during the Franco era. In 1977, it was restored for both sexes.

Enjoy these or other stories, facts and events of Basque or universal culture in March 2025, selected for you by Aitor Delgado Tours:

Basque culture activities in Vitoria-Gasteiz and Álava

  • Exhibition “Metralla Zauriak” by Verónica Domingo-Alonso. Plastic research and production project. Montehermoso Cultural Center. From January 24th to March 16th.
  • Pedro, from Granada. Flamenco singer. Giraldillo del Cante at the 2020 Seville Biennial. Jesús Ibañez de Matauco Theater. March 1st.
  • Stravinsky: The Firebird and The Rite of Spring. Neoclassical and contemporary dance company LaMov. Félix Petite Theater (Ibaiondo Civic Centre). March 7th.
  • ImPERFECT. Clown, gestural theatre and dance. Company of Comedians La Baldufa. Award for the Best Large Format Show Fetén 2023. Félix Petite (Ibaiondo Civic Centre). March 9th.
  • The short story on the border. The borders of the short story. International Festival of Literary Short Stories of Vitoria-Gasteiz. Centenary of Ignacio Aldecoa. Debates, reflections and activities on telling short stories. Ignacio Aldecoa House of Culture. From March 11th to 15th.
  • Alava Olive Oil Fair. Tasting, sampling, sale of Alava products, thematic exhibitions and children’s workshops. Moreda de Álava. March 16th.
  • Klaustro Sounds. Unique and ephemeral musical experience with Adrián Royo in a solo piano concert. Montehermoso Cultural Center. March 16th.
  • The Adventures of Hans Christian Andersen. Children’s audience. Narrator and actress Ane Gebara and the Municipal Band of Vitoria-Gasteiz. Félix Petite Theater (Ibaiondo Civic Centre). March 16th.
  • Breathe! Concert by the Municipal Band with the best txistulari of all time, Garikoitz Mendizabal. Music by Galbraith, Bavicchi, Aurignac and Gandolfi. World premiere. Europa Conference Centre. March 26th.
  • Ezequiel Benitez. Flamenco singer from Jerez de la Frontera. Andalusian Music Award 2020. Jesus Ibañez Theater in Matauco CC Hegoalde. March 29th.

Basque culture events in Bilbao and Biscay in March 2025

  • Tarsila do Amaral. Painting modern Brazil. A central figure of Brazilian modernism, she paints an “authentic”, multicultural and multiracial Brazil. Guggenheim Museum Bilbao. From February 21st to June 1st.
  • ‘Morricone and 100 years of cinema’. Tribute concert by the Royal Film Concert Orchestra, conducted by Fernando Furones, author of the soundtracks for more than 500 films and television series. Euskalduna Palace. March 2nd.
  • Coque Malla: 40th anniversary tour. Concert guests: guitarist Fito and Basque singer-songwriter Mikel Erentxun. Euskalduna Palace. March 6th.
  • Musika-Music. Bilbao International Classical Music Festival. 60 concerts for all audiences. Professionals and students from various conservatories. Euskalduna Palace and Arriaga Theatre. From March 7th to 9th.
  • in situ: Refik Anadol. Exhibition of the immersive, architectural and multisensory work of Turkish video artist Refik Anadol. Guggenheim Museum Bilbao. From March 7th to October 19th.
  • MusEkintza. Performing Arts Festival in Museums of Bizkaia. A varied programme with theatre, dance, circus, concerts, mystery shows, shadow laboratory and clowns. At the Ferrería El Pobal on March 15th and at La Encartada Fabrika-Museoa in Balmaseda on March 22nd.
  • ‘Más D Ana’: 2025 tour. Concert by the Spanish singer Ana Belén. Euskalduna Palace. March 16th.
  • Aphkhazeti. Georgian National Ballet with live choir and orchestra. Traditional Georgian music pieces performed in a completely new version. Champs Elysees Theatre. March 19.
  • Pink Floyd’s Rock Opera: “The Wall 40 Years”. Unique audiovisual show. Campos Eliseos Theatre. March 21st.
  • Poem of cante jondo. New album. Flamenco singer Miguel Poveda. Texts by Federico García Lorca. Campos Eliseos Theatre. March 22nd and 23th.
  • DJ Symphonic and the Royal Film Concert Orchestra. Songs by David Guetta, Queen, Darude, Coldplay, ABBA, among others. Euskalduna Palace. March 24th.
  • National Choreographic Center (CCN)/Aterballetto of Italy. Choreographies by Crystal Pite, Iratxe Ansa and Igor Bacovich, and Diego Tortelli. Arriaga Theater. March 28th and 29th.

Basque culture proposals in San Sebastian and Gipuzkoa in March 2025

  • Harri, Lurra, Huts (Stone, Earth, Void). Chillida’s exhibition from the perspective of earth and stone. Chillidaleku Museum. From February 6th to May 26th.
  • Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5. Minsk Philharmonic Orchestra and Chisinau Philharmonic Choir. Kursaal Palace. March 7th.
  • Cristóbal Balenciaga: Technique, Material, and Form. An exhibition offering an in-depth and educational look at the couturier’s work, influence, and legacy. Cristobal Balenciaga Museum. From March 7th to January 11th, 2026.
  • Saturday Night Disco: the show. Based on the musical movement of the 54 disco in New York. International singers, dancers, sound, lights,… Kursaal Palace. March 8th.
  • Mozart’s Requiem. Includes Beethoven’s Symphony No. 8. Santa Cecilia Classical Orchestra and Choir. Kursaal Palace in San Sebastian. March 9th.
  • Detlev Glanert and Johannes Brahms. Arctic Philharmonic Orchestra. Christoph-Mathias Mueller, conductor. Christoph Sietzen, percussion. Kursaal Palace. March 13th & 17th.
  • From Mocedades to El Consorcio. The only Spanish group to have sold more than a million copies of a single sung entirely in Spanish. Kursaal Palace. March 16th.
  • dFERIA. XXXI San Sebastian Theatre Fair. It promotes the performing arts, especially local ones. From March 16th to 20th.
  • Caramel. Clara and Ariadna Peya (Les Impuxibles) and Pablo Messiez. 7 dancers. Victoria Eugenia Theatre. March 19th.
  • The Silence of Hamelin. Catalan company Farres Brothers. Celebrating International Puppet Day (March 21st). International Puppet Centre of Tolosa. March 22nd.
  • Buena Vista Stars and More. A group of Cuban musicians and singers under the musical direction of the world’s best tres player, Pancho Amat. Kursaal Palace. March 23rd.
  • Sergei Prokofiev’s Symphony Concertante and Alexander Scriabin’s Symphony No. 2. Euskadiko Orkestra (Basque Country Orchestra) conducted by St. Petersburg conductor Stanislav Kochanovsky. Daniel Müller Schott, cello. Kursaal Palace. March 27th & 28th.
  • Tomorrowland. Lux Trio with Dayna Stephens (saxophones) and Scott Colley (bass). Free-Jazz. Victoria Eugenia Theater. March 30th.

Contact Aitor Delgado Tour if you wish to book a personalized and exclusive tour that you desire while also enjoying the best that Basque culture has to offer in March 2025.

February 17, 2025