Closing concert of Cistermúsica brings The Gift to Alcobaça Monastery
The band from Alcobaça will be performing for the first time at the festival, where they will be accompanied by a twenty-piece choir
It will be a memorable first night at the Cistermúsica - Alcobaça Music Festival: for the first time The Gift will perform and close the festival with a show in the Rachadouro Cloister, at the Montebelo Mosteiro de Alcobaça Historic Hotel, at 9.30pm on 30 July. The band will perform songs from Coral, their latest album, with a 20-strong choir on stage.
But before this great celebration, there are still several shows before the end of this edition, with symphonic concerts, vocal music, contemporary dance and jazz.
In the Main Programme, the Orquestra XXI, celebrating its 10th anniversary, returns under the direction of Dinis Sousa to perform Gustav Mahler's 5th Symphony - an emblematic work that reveals a unique and revolutionary musical thought. The Alcobaça Symphonic Band also returns to the festival under the direction of conductor Rui Carreira with soloist Vera Santos (clarinet).
The Orfeão de Leiria Choir will perform Fauré's Requiem at the Pataias Parish Church. Ars Lusitana, a vocal ensemble dedicated to researching and recovering Portugal's musical heritage, will go to the Parish Church of São Martinho do Porto with a programme marking the 400th anniversary of Francisco Garro's death. Pianist Nuno Vieira de Almeida and Rita Blanco present Enoch Arden, by Richard Strauss, at the Centro de Diálogo Intercultural de Leiria - Igreja da Misericórdia. These last three concerts are free.
Other Worlds offers ballet and jazz
As part of the Other Worlds programme, contemporary dance will once again have its place with Practices of Rebirth, a show by Margarida Belo Costa with piano accompaniment by André Hencleeday. Finally, Jazz no Bosque welcomes the Sul project, a trio made up of Bernardo Couto (Portuguese guitar), Bernardo Moreira (double bass) and Luís Figueiredo (piano), who will perform themes by prominent composers, covering fado, jazz and traditional Portuguese songs.
Cistermúsica is organised by ABA - Banda de Alcobaça, Associação de Artes and has André Cunha Leal as artistic director. The festival has the High Patronage of His Excellency the President of the Republic, the support of patrons BPI / "La Caixa" Foundation and Égide - Portuguese Arts Association, the financial support of the Directorate-General for the Arts/Ministry of Culture, the strategic partnership of the Municipality of Alcobaça, the institutional partnership of the Directorate-General for Cultural Heritage/Mastery of Alcobaça and the official sponsor Volkswagen.