Roots / Resonances
The theme Roots/Resonances is the guiding thread for the 2026 season. Throughout the year, Casa da Música invites you to discover how the popular roots of music resonate in the proposals of its resident groups, in its popular music programme and in its educational activities.
In the field of classical music, we explore a group of composers who, particularly in the 20th century, delved into their roots and popular traditions with a view to regenerating their musical language. They sought to distance themselves from late Romanticism, while rejecting radical abstractions. Among figures such as Bartók, Kodály, Falla, Stravinsky, Ginastera and Berio, Casa da Música gives special prominence to Heitor Villa-Lobos, a central figure in Lusophone music who represents a paradigm of the classical musician attentive to popular culture and in constant search of his roots. The Casa’s ensembles will present some of his works, including the complete famous series Bachianas Brasileiras. From this theme, we build a bridge to reinterpretations of Bach’s work, a constant source of inspiration for Villa-Lobos and so many others. Throughout the season, we will also hear composers who shared this same impulse to reconnect with their origins: Brahms, Schumann, Grieg, Johann Strauss, Dvořák, Lopes-Graça, Britten, among many others.
This approach also inspires the programming of popular music, with a special focus on artists who seek resonances between tradition and contemporaneity. Names such as Emmy Curl, CONAN OSIRIS, Sétima Legião, Expresso Transatlântico, Avishai Cohen, Chico César, among many others, invite us to listen to the past with the ears of the present.
RESONANCES: VILLA-LOBOS
A composer featured throughout the season, Brazilian Heitor Villa-Lobos (1887-1959) is a reference in 20th-century music, with roots in tradition and ecological awareness. He was the great synthesiser of Brazilian popular traditions and European classical language, creating music with a national identity and universal reach. His exuberant and unique work unites Bach with the Amazon rainforest, folklore with modernity. Throughout this cycle, Casa da Música presents a very rare complete performance of the Bachianas Brasileiras, interpreted at different times by the Symphony Orchestra, the Remix Ensemble and a cello ensemble. In addition to this important series of nine pieces for different formations, where we find a mixture of folk material with forms associated with Bach’s music, several other creations by Villa-Lobos appear in the programmes of the Casa da Música Choir, the Educational Service and various concerts. Also noteworthy is the performance of the Concerto for Guitar by Alice Brandão and the Symphony Orchestra, and the monumental Floresta do Amazonas (Amazon Forest), with scenography by visual artist Bianca Dacosta, whose images reflect the vital and symbolic issues that Amazonian spaces face in today’s reality.
“A COMPOSER SHOULD BE LIKE A RIVER: BORN IN THE MOUNTAINS OF THE PAST, BUT FLOWING TOWARDS THE SEA OF THE FUTURE” —VILLA-LOBOS
Deeply connected to the cycle dedicated to Villa-Lobos, the music of Johann Sebastian Bach is also a constant presence throughout the season. The German composer’s genius is particularly evident in the St John Passion, a seminal Baroque work that brings together the Choir and Baroque Orchestra during Easter. The two ensembles return to Bach in different concerts throughout the season and come together again in December to perform the Christmas Cantatas. Resuming a project that marked previous years, Barroca reunites with the Remix Ensemble to tackle The Art of Fugue, in a programme that brings together a historically informed interpretation and a contemporary recomposition of the work by Johannes Schöllhorn. Bach’s repertoire also features in recitals in the Piano Cycle and Educational Service activities, as well as inspiring other musical genres.
RESONANCES: BRAHMS
A central figure of German Romanticism, Johannes Brahms wrote four concertos for soloists and orchestra that reveal the romantic soul in all its grandeur. In this cycle, the Symphony Orchestra performs them alongside internationally renowned instrumentalists: pianists Joseph Moog and Martin Helmchen, violinists Elli Choi and Liya Petrova, and cellist Victor Julien-Laferrière. The portrait of Brahms is completed with choral and symphonic works that reflect the composer’s depth and lyricism, such as the rare Schicksalslied and the luminous Symphony No. 2, a true celebration of nature and romantic fulfilment.
RESONANCES: HÈCTOR PARRA
The residency of Catalan composer Hèctor Parra will last for two years, the first of which will be dedicated to promoting some of his major works to Portuguese audiences. Four of the pieces scheduled for concerts by the Symphony Orchestra and the Remix Ensemble reveal his special relationship with other artistic disciplines: literature, science and the visual arts. Inscape brings together these two groups, while Orgia – Irrisorio alito d’aria, a work inspired by Pasolini, brings together the Baroque Orchestra and the Remix Ensemble. Hèctor Parra’s artistic residency also extends to Digitópia, in another edition of the Porto Electronic Music Symposium.
PIANO CYCLE
Several pianists with distinguished international careers are coming to Casa da Música for the first time this year: Lucas Debargues from France, Giorgi Gigashvili from Georgia, Dutch brothers Lucas and Arthur Jussen, and Spanish pianist Javier Perianes. Perianes marks the Manuel de Falla anniversary, placing the Spanish composer’s work alongside that of Chopin, in keeping with the theme Roots/Resonances. The Jussen brothers present four-hand versions of very popular works from the repertoire and highlight contemporary creation. Giorgi Gigashvili will present a new commission from ECHO to composer Natalie Beridze, in a sign of Casa da Música’s commitment to supporting contemporary creation and the international circulation of new works. Debargue’s recital includes music inspired by literature and will be preceded by a conversation in the style of a listening guide, as a way of bringing the audience closer to the ideas of the composers in the programme. The variety of repertoire across the entire pianistic spectrum is completed by established names such as Grigory Sokolov, Vadym Kholodenko and Lise de la Salle, who will perform works never before heard at Casa da Música, and Portuguese pianist Nuno Cernadas, acclaimed by international critics for his unique approach to the work of Alexander Scriabin.
BIG SCREEN
Seven concerts dedicated to the big screen fill this new cycle, in which absolute classics of silent cinema such as Charles Chaplin’s The Great Dictator and Fritz Lang’s Metropolis are screened with live musical accompaniment by the Symphony Orchestra and Remix Ensemble, respectively. The Baroque Orchestra performs the original soundtrack of Gérard Corbiau’s Farinelli simultaneously with the screening of the film. In addition to these film concerts, the Symphony Orchestra presents a concert of video game music and a visual creation by Bianca Dacosta for Villa-Lobos’ musical epic The Amazon Forest. The Educational Service has also prepared two special shows for this cycle: Sussurros do Mar (Whispers of the Sea), inspired by Debussy’s music; and O Último Canto dos Pássaros (The Last Song of the Birds), based on real recordings of birds from around the world, electronic sounds and visuals created by resident artist Bianca Dacosta.
JAZZ SERIES
Throughout the season, Ciclo Jazz offers a variety of concerts by renowned artists and new national and international projects. Highlights include the return of the Matosinhos Jazz Orchestra, which has a partnership with Casa da Música, as well as the proposals included in the Geração Casa programme (Novos Valores, Concertos no Café and Future Jazz). Other names already confirmed are Avishai Cohen Quintet and Gogo Penguin. The Estação do Jazz festival is a highlight of the Cycle and marks the centenary of John Coltrane and Miles Davis.
POPULAR MUSIC
Pop-rock, world music, Portuguese popular music, Brazilian popular music, electronic music… there are many genres featured throughout the season. Confirmed names include Patrick Watson, Militarie Gun + Spite House, Mafalda Veiga, Wim Merters, Paulo Flores, The Divine Comedy, Leo Middea, Expresso Transatlântico, Joe Jackson, Chico César, Black Sea Dahu, as well as concerts associated with the Misty Fest festival.
RESSONÂNCIAS FESTIVAL: SEASON OPENING
Over two weeks in January, the season’s opening festival brings together all the forces of Casa da Música. The Symphony Orchestra, Remix Ensemble, Baroque Orchestra, Choir, Children’s Choir, Educational Service and projects linked to popular music demonstrate the various variations and possibilities of this year’s theme, Roots/Resonances. Framed by Digitópia’s installation “Raiz Popular” (Popular Roots), which explores the richness and diversity of popular melodies from different cultures through a Disklavier piano, the festival kicks off with a concert by the Symphony Orchestra, marking the beginning of Hèctor Parra’s residency and the complete works dedicated to Villa-Lobos’ Bachianas Brasileiras. The Remix Ensemble also ventures into the music of the Composer in Residence, while the Choir sets out to discover the work of Villa-Lobos and the reference in the great inspiration of the Brazilian composer, Johann Sebastian Bach. The Baroque Orchestra visits a programme with folk roots. Other highlights of the festival include the eagerly awaited return of Conan Osiris, after six years away from the stage, and the concert celebrating Vitorino’s 50-year career. Also not to be missed is the launch of the new programming formats Café com Nata and Geração Casa, as well as meetings and conferences that promote contact between the public and artists.
GUITAR DAYS
An absolute novelty in Casa da Música’s programme, this new festival includes a Guitarists’ Marathon and a special evening in which the Symphony Orchestra presents three concerts for guitar and orchestra. The virtuoso Scottish guitarist Sean Shibe and the Portuguese guitarist Alice Brandão will perform Rodrigo’s famous Concierto de Aranjuez, Villa-Lobos’ Concerto and the national premiere of a new concerto for electric guitar and orchestra by Mark Simpson. Masterclasses, workshops, recitals and popular music concerts complete the vibrant programme of these days dedicated to one of the most beloved instruments.
EASTER SEASON
A moment of pure elevation, with three works that evoke the mystery of Easter: an orchestral suite from Wagner’s Parsifal, a hymn to the transformative power of the human spirit; Bach’s St John Passion, a spiritual drama of breathtaking intensity; and Messiaen’s Couleurs de la Cité céleste, a sonic vision of faith and transcendental light. The festival also celebrates spring and youth, with Elli Choi’s virtuosity in Brahms’ Violin Concerto, the brilliant energy of Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 1 and the creative impulse of Portuguese composers and performers.
FESTIVAL PRESS START
An exciting dive into the world of pop culture. The first edition of this new festival celebrates the creative energy of animation and digital art in dialogue with music. The Symphony Orchestra brings video game music to life in an unmissable concert, while Digitópia presents an immersive installation inspired by this universe. Diverse proposals make Casa a meeting point between pop ideas, imagination and innovation.
JAZZ STATION
The energy and creative freedom of jazz will fill Casa da Música with excitement during this autumn festival, in a celebration without boundaries of style, focusing on improvisation and the crossing of influences. The full line-up will be announced in due course, but we can already highlight the concert that brings together the Matosinhos Symphony Orchestra and Jazz Orchestra on the same stage, taking the sounds of the big band to another dimension. The Casa da Música Choir will also participate with a programme marked by swing, surprising us in this celebration where the whole Casa breathes jazz. The highlight of the festival is the celebration of the centenary of Miles Davis and John Coltrane.
TIME FOR MEETINGS
Casa da Música is a privileged place for encounters, discoveries and artistic experiences that challenge boundaries and awaken new ways of listening. These are the principles that guide Tempo de Encontros, in which groups with different personalities share concerts and come together on stage. Mahler, Debussy and Bach meet composers of our time such as Hèctor Parra, Composer in Residence at Casa da Música. The Remix Ensemble shares two concerts with the Baroque Orchestra and another two with the Symphony Orchestra, with programmes that include works written by Parra to be played by two different ensembles on the same stage.
AMAZONIA FESTIVAL
As the culmination of the cycle dedicated to Heitor Villa-Lobos, the Symphony Orchestra presents the grandiose symphonic tableau Floresta do Amazonas (Amazon Forest). For this occasion, Casa da Música invited the young Brazilian visual artist Bianca Dacosta to create an original staging inspired by the Amazon, a mythical territory and a major symbol of the environmental, spiritual and social challenges of our time. During a week entirely dedicated to the Amazonian universe, Casa da Música will be transformed into a space for reflection and creation, with conferences, meetings, musical preludes, documentary screenings, popular music concerts and an immersive installation by Digitópia in collaboration with Bianca Dacosta. A festival that unites art, nature and consciousness in a single poetic gesture.
CHRISTMAS TIME
Beyond its religious significance, Christmas Time suggests a special moment for reunion, sharing and celebrating universal values that unite us through music: emotion and hope. The festival begins with a concert for families and features concerts by the Choir, the Baroque Orchestra, the Symphony Orchestra and the Children’s Choir. The latter two groups will perform Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker, with live sand art illustrations projected on the big screen.