Carola Ortiz live concert & talk
Europe – Xroads event / Waag -1
Renowned Catalan clarinetist, singer, and composer Carola Ortiz is a unique voice in contemporary music, known for blending tradition, jazz, and modern creation with remarkable fluidity. With her rich, expressive voice and refined instrumental artistry, Ortiz builds bridges between musical worlds—rooted in Mediterranean culture, yet open to the global stage.
With Enllà, her fifth solo album, Ortiz returns to setting Catalan poetry to music. Following the award-winning Pecata Beata (Núvol Award 2021), she now collaborates with Maresme poet Dario Olaortua, giving musical life to eight of his texts. The project is enriched by the elegant guitar work of Bartolomeo Barenghi.
The title Enllà—Catalan for “beyond”—evokes the timeless dimensions of love, music, and consciousness. The album explores a philosophical and spiritual vision of life as a continuous cycle where present and memory intertwine. The result is an intimate and reflective body of work that invites listeners to contemplate what endures beyond the passage of time.
Musically, Ortiz moves through a diverse palette of genres, including havanera, tango, Brazilian choro, cabaret swing, and fado. Her compositions intertwine seamlessly with Olaortua’s poetry, creating a sonic and poetic journey that celebrates nature, the cosmos, the cycle of life and death, and the many forms of love—tender, embracing, and eternal.