20 September, a momentous date in the history of Spain, is officially recognised as the birth of the Spanish Legion. This day commemorates the enlistment of the first legionnaire in 1920, Marcelo Villeval Gaitán, marking the beginning of an institution known for its bravery and commitment. In honour of this legacy, the La Legion Brigade (Brileg) has organised a series of celebratory activities for both its members and the public, including a special concert that promises to unite the Almeria community in a unique evening of music.
The event to be held is a concert open to the general public and will be performed by the Legion Brigade’s Music Unit and War Band. What makes this year even more special is the collaboration of an entity that joins this celebration for the first time: the Orfeón de la Real Hermandad de Veteranos de las Fuerzas Armadas y Guardia Civil -Choral Society of the Royal Brotherhood of Armed Forces and Civil Guard Veterans- (ORVET), .
The aim of these events is to bring the culture of Defence closer to the people of Almeria and to strengthen the bonds of union and closeness between the community and the armed forces. However, due to the ongoing works in the Auditorium of Almeria, the location of the concert has changed, and it will be held in the Auditorium of the University of Almeria on Tuesday 19 September at 19:00 hours.
ORVET is a relatively young choir, having been founded in April 2019. Although it is amateur or amateurish in nature, it has made great progress and has performed in various concerts throughout Spain. Most of its members are retired or reserve members of the Armed Forces and the Guardia Civil, but it is also open to family and friends who are members of the Royal Brotherhood of Veterans of the Armed Forces and the Guardia Civil and have a deep attraction to martial and military music.
The Orfeón’s repertoire includes more than seventy songs, ranging from martial and military music to other genres such as sacred music and zarzuela. In addition, the choir ventures to sing in several languages, such as Latin, English and German.
The ORVET strives to show Spanish society the musical richness that has accompanied the Armies and the Guardia Civil throughout history, contributing to the dissemination of Defence Culture, particularly musical culture.
The organisation of the Orfeón is divided into a musical part, led by its Musical Director Vicente Romaní, together with his Assistant Director and the string chiefs, who instruct and prepare the Orfeón’s singers. These singers are distributed in four strings that form a total of eight polyphonies.
ORVET’s collaboration in the Legion’s anniversary concert promises to further enrich the musical experience and reflect the unity between the armed forces and the community. This event is a unique opportunity to enjoy the music, history and spirit of camaraderie that represent The Spanish Legion and its supporters.