Casa Batlló in Barcelona hosts MERITA Concert by AKELA Quartet
From 13 to 14 March 2025, Europa Nostra joined the EU co-funded MERITA project on tour to host two special events in Barcelona, Spain, in partnership with Le Dimore del Quartetto, Casa Batlló, and the European Commission Representation.
Bringing together 38 string quartets and 152 exceptional musicians, the MERITA platform increases the visibility and mobility of young European ensembles, standing out for bringing classical music beyond concert halls and into heritage sites. This time, we were accompanied by the talented AKELA Quartet from Denmark.
Credits: Europa Nostra / MERITA
On the first day, 13 March, the European Commission Representation in Barcelona hosted a networking event and a short musical performance. Eleonora Archetti, Assistant Director, and Laura Rahola, Communication Officer, highlighted the importance of supporting projects like MERITA through the Creative Europe Programme of the European Union.
“The European Union sees culture and education as vital instruments for empowerment and growth. Investing in them is essential to fostering a sense of belonging and a shared purpose”, stated Laura Rahola.
Joining virtually from Brussels, Sneška Quaedvlieg-Mihailović, Secretary General of Europa Nostra, emphasised: “We need the power of music, youth and cultural heritage to strengthen the presence of peace, shared values, and humanity across Europe.”
“Music is not a cost; culture is not a cost. Music can make places come alive, bring people together and carry a new message”, added Francesca Moncada, President of Le Dimore del Quartetto and Project Manager of MERITA.
🎻 To wrap up we enjoyed a beautiful musical performance by the Akela Quartet from Denmark – a warm up to a very special meditative #concert tomorrow at @CasaBatlloGaudi, PRESENCE 🧘♀️
All info 👉 https://t.co/o7V4ujw85T @ComissioEuropea pic.twitter.com/C2F5crNJCl
— Europa Nostra (@europanostra) March 13, 2025
PRESENCE at Casa Batlló
The next day, on 14 March, we were up before sunrise for a very special meditative concert, PRESENCE, performed by AKELA at Casa Batlló – one of Antoni Gaudí’s masterpieces and winner of a European Heritage Award / Europa Nostra Award 2004.
To the sounds of Haydn, Shostakovich, Kølster, and Glass, the musicians guided participants through a meditative journey. The morning lights, organic shapes, and vibrant colours of Casa Batlló blended seamlessly with the music, creating a unique atmosphere of awareness and relaxation.
🎻Performed by the Akela Quartet from Denmark 🇩🇰, the #music blended seamlessly with the organic shapes & vibrant colours of @CasaBatlloGaudi, creating a unique atmosphere of awareness & relaxation 🧘♀️
Thank you for being present with us – more to follow soon! pic.twitter.com/eWAtMf7Hnz
— Europa Nostra (@europanostra) March 17, 2025
“Casa Batlló, as a site inscribed on the World Heritage List, is committed to embracing culture as a catalyst for emotional well-being and human development. The PRESENCE concert by MERITA offered a powerful reminder of how music and mindfulness can connect deeply with our shared heritage,” shared Amilcar Vargas, World Heritage Manager of Casa Batlló, after the concert.
MERITA will continue with many more concerts planned across Europe between now and July. The calendar of upcoming events is available here.
Concerts co-organised by Europa Nostra
In June 2024, Europa Nostra co-organised three concerts in iconic heritage sites, namely the Winzeberg Royal Vineyard in Potsdam (Germany), the Friluftsskolen Open-Air School in Copenhagen (Denmark) – both winners of the European Heritage Awards / Europa Nostra Awards – and the ARTE Music Academy in Nicosia (Cyprus). In September 2024, the Museum of Literature Ireland (MoLI) in Dublin hosted the fourth concert co-organised by Europa Nostra in the framework of MERITA.
As one of the 16 members of the consortium coordinated by Le Dimore del Quartetto, Europa Nostra is organising a total of nine concerts until August 2025.
About MERITA
Winner of the Creative Europe – European Platforms 2021, MERITA is a project led by Le Dimore del Quartetto (Milan, Italy), winner of a European Heritage Award / Europa Nostra Award in 2019, in collaboration with 16 cultural institutions, including Europa Nostra, across 11 European countries. Over three years, MERITA engages 38 string quartets, bringing together 152 exceptional musicians.
