Although still less well-known today than its counterparts in Italian, French and German, song in Portuguese has spread around the globe since its earliest days. To uncover these often hidden gems of the lusophone vocal tradition, this recital — performed by young up-and-coming singers from Portugal, Hong Kong and Macau — aimed to give an overview of Portuguese-language opera and song from the baroque to the 21th century, from Portugal to Macau and Brazil. The journey starts in the 18th and early 19th centuries with Luso-Brazilian composers who called both Portugal and Brazil home. The turn of the 20th century is represented by romantic opera on the European model, while the 20th century is filled with art song, from Brazil to Portugal and even from Macau.
The recital, part of the “Junho, Mês de Portugal” festival of the Portuguese Consulate-General and the Instituto Português do Oriente (IPOR) in Macau, featured soprano Sílvia Sequeira, visiting from Portugal, Hong Kong mezzo-soprano Ashley Chui, who sings regularly in Portugal, and Macau baritone Chris Iek, with Hong Kong-resident French pianist Arièle Zanini on piano. It was performed at the venerable Dom Pedro V theatre.
Photos: IPOR