The Girona Chamber of Commerce, one of the founding entities of the Prince of Girona Foundation, was created on 24 June 1910. A wide-ranging programme of events has been organised for the course of 2010 to commemorate its centenary, beginning on 5 March with the Plenary Assembly of the Higher Council of Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Navigation of Spain and a benefit concert of the tenor José Carreras, accompanied at the piano by Lorenzo Bavaj, in favour of the José Carreras Leukaemia Foundation.
The Prince of Girona Foundation seeks to show its gratitude and acknowledgement to the Girona Chamber of Commerce on this very important occasion, accompanying it in these commemorative events. On their arrival at the Girona Auditorium and Conference Centre, Their Royal Highnesses were received by the Director of the Prince of Girona Foundation, Arcadi Calçada, and the Foundation’s Vice-President, Josep Lagares, and by the President of the Girona Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Navigation, Domènec Espadalé, the President of Caixa Girona, Manel Serra, and the Patron of the Prince of Girona Foundation Leopoldo Rodés. Then, inside the building, the Prince and Princess gave an audience to a group of prominent figures of Girona Province.
Subsequently, the Prince and Princess of Asturias and of Girona were welcomed in the Symphonic Hall of the Girona Auditorium by the warm and friendly applause of all the people in attendance, and after a speech by the President of the Girona Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Navigation, the tenor José Carreras, accompanied by the pianist Lorenzo Bavaj, gave a concert to commemorate the Centenary of the Chamber’s founding, in the benefit of the José Carreras Leukaemia Foundation. Among other pieces, the great tenor sang Lejana tierra mía, El eco de tu voz, Andaluza, Milonga del Ángel and Rosor, which received an enthusiastic ovation from the audience.
At the end of the concert Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia met with the Committee of Honour and the Organising Committee of the Girona Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Navigation Centenary and with the Chamber’s Executive Committee, and then went on to greet the interpreters of the concert, José Carreras and Lorenzo Bavaj. They also conversed at length with a number of representatives of Girona’s civil society, which brought the event to an end, upon which the same personalities who had welcomed Their Royal Highnesses on their arrival bid them farewell.