Music Shines for Everyone

If it weren’t for the 20 years of history behind it – years filled with joy, celebration, and artistic delight, both outdoors and within the building’s many spaces – the very idea of Summer at Casa might seem like a contradiction. After all, summer is the season for leaving the house (casa, in Portuguese). It’s a time of movement – not only through the streets of our villages, towns, and cities but also within ourselves. And Casa da Música embraces this idea wholeheartedly. Wherever Casa is, summer is too. From June 19 to September 6, that principle comes alive once again and, like the sun, it shines for everyone. A wide range of events, spanning diverse musical genres and styles, rise from the summer tide for our enjoyment – musical waves of all shapes and sizes, always vibrant and irresistibly inviting. True to tradition, we travel once more through various stages across the Porto Metropolitan Area – places that in recent years have brought joy to their local communities with free concerts that dissolve boundaries between erudition and celebration. The journey begins on the banks of Gaia with Arrábida Sinfónica, where Orquestra Sinfónica do Porto Casa da Música joins fado singer Cristina Branco for a programme that blends works by Bartók and Saint-Saëns with traditional Portuguese dances and songs. The next stop is Maia Symphonic, set in Dr. José Vieira de Carvalho Square, where our Symphony Orchestra presents a selection of iconic orchestral works, including Ravel’s Bolero. Later in July, Casa da Música revisits Matosinhos em Jazz, and once more our Symphony Orchestra takes center stage – this time alongside four leading jazz musicians: Gileno Santana (flugelhorn and trumpet), João Ferreira (piano), Gonçalo Cravinho (double bass), and João Cunha (percussion). Together, they deliver a night of Brazilian nostalgia, with timeless classics like “Insensatez”, “Carinhoso”, “Garota de Ipanema”, and “Aquarela do Brasil”. The final symphonic “hand” of this summer “poker” is played back in the heart of Porto, on Avenida dos Aliados, celebrating the symbolic return to the city after the holidays. These highlights, marked by their impact and symbolism, are the cornerstones of another Summer at Casa – a season once again united under the rainbow of music. This colorful spectrum shines brightly on the open-air terrace stage as well, where free concerts stir up smiles, toasts, and a breezy spirit of togetherness with performances ranging from rock, pop, jazz, and soul to world music, MPB (Brazilian Popular Music), and traditional Portuguese tunes. Inside our main concert hall, a host of standout artists raise the bar even higher. A clear example is none other than Jim Jarmusch – the iconic American indie filmmaker – who teams up with Dutch composer and lutenist Jozef van Wissem, his longtime musical collaborator and composer of the Only Lovers Left Alive soundtrack, for a concert that promises to be intense, idiosyncratic, and defiantly genre-free. Also returning is Bill Callahan, one of the most gifted singer- songwriters to emerge from the late- ’80s indie rock scene, now presenting his 2024 album Ressuscitate!. And what can we say about Margareth Menezes? Dubbed “the Brazilian Aretha Franklin” by The New York Times, this charismatic force of nature – Afropop goddess, actress, and current Minister of Culture in Lula’s government – brings a show brimming with irresistible energy. But that’s just the beginning. There’s so much more to explore in Verão da Casa’s rich and varied programming. July begins and ends with two cherished events: Suggia Award, featuring a finalists’ concert alongside our Symphony Orchestra and a celebrated Cellist Marathon involving students from music schools across the country; and Encontro de Bandas Filarmónicas, showcasing marching performances and concerts by wind bands from all over Portugal. Marking the festive close of the school year and another season of our Education Service’s programming, the show Sonópolis – a benchmark in participatory performance – brings together professional and non-professional musicians from all over the country in a celebratory blend of inclusion and artistry. Portugal A Gosto festival returns to fill late summer afternoons with the sounds of Portuguese music – fado always taking the lead – in concerts that can be paired with self-guided or guided tours, with a discounted ticket option. And of course, summer is always a great time to discover Casa da Música. This season’s official kickoff comes with the best host we could ask for: Porto’s longest night, with São João Concerts, once again sets the stage for Summer at Casa. Let the music shine!