The Day of Portugal Concert in Caracas (2016)

To celebrate once again the Day of Portugal, Camões and the Portuguese Communities, the Embassy of Portugal in Caracas organized a concert in the Teresa Carreño theatre, like last year. It was performed by the Symphonic Orchestra of Venezuela (OSV), directed by César Ivan Lara. The concert was recorded and hopefully the CD and DVD will come out before the end of the year.

The music of three Portuguese composers was played: João de Sousa Carvalho (1745-1798), Te Deum (1769); João Domingos Bontempo (1775-1842), Concerto No. 2 for piano and orchestra; and Luís de Freitas Branco (1890-1955), Ballad for piano and orchestra. The main idea was for the public to get to know these Portuguese composers, as this was the first performance of their music in Venezuela. 













As for the last work, it had never been recorded at all.

The right tie for a happy musical moment...

After a short break, six short pieces by Venezuelan composers were played as a way of showing appreciation for the music that was heard when the first wave of Portuguese emigrants reached Venezuela, after the Second World War.

The invited soloist was the Portuguese pianist João Bettencourt da Câmara (b. 1988), whose biography doesn´t do him justice. Besides promoting Portuguese Culture in interviews, he played with such a passion that he received a long, warm ovation.

Open here

Portuguese Musicians who have been in Venezuela in the last 2 years (as far as I kow):

Antonio Saiote, director and clarinetist

Osvaldo Ferreira, director

Pedro Meireles, violinist

Susana Gaspar, soprano

António Rosado, pianist

João Bettencourt da Câmara, pianist

The giant banner at the concert hall.

As a Portuguese in Venezuela, I felt very proud with the outstanding perfomance of João Bettencourt da Câmara and so did many people in the audience...

It was very pleasant to have some friends in the middle of a full house to enjoy the Day of Portugal Concert 2016.