The Santander International Festival (FIS) inaugurated its 67th edition yesterday with the concert of the RTVE Symphony Orchestra, interpreting Tchaikovsky's Symphony number 4, and the Oratorio de Coriolano and the piano and orchestra concert n. 3 of Beethoven with Ireland native Barry Douglas. This is the first major symphonic concert this year and took place under the baton of its principal director, Miguel Ángel Gómez Martínez.

Pianist Barry Douglas accompanied the Spanish band performing the Concerto for piano and orchestra n. 3 by Ludwig van Beethoven. In 1986 the Irish artist won the Gold Medal at the Tchaikovsky International Piano Competition in Moscow, after his participation, in 1980, at the International Piano Competition of Santander Paloma O'Shea, where he won the second prize.

The program of the first day of the Festival also included the Symphony n. 4 by Tchaikovsky, as well as another piece by Beethoven: Coriolan's Overture. The concert was held at the Sala Argenta of the Festival Palace of Cantabria, at 8:30 p.m., with the support ofFundación EDP.