It is with great enthusiasm that I witness the growth of the Capuchos Festival. Since its revival in 2021, each successive edition has managed to combine the creative power of so many artists with a shared reflection that goes far beyond music.
It was no easy task to conceive and design a proposal following the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the 25th of April. But if, last year, we celebrated the timeless expression of Freedom, in 2025, the theme proposed unfolds this precious value in a true spirit of “between worlds.” It is also an artistic spirit—one increasingly under threat—that finds in this festival a safe and stimulating haven, bringing together different generations and nationalities.
I am even prouder to see that, for the first time, we will enjoy a great moment of communion outdoors in Parque da Paz, with a symphonic concert. This year’s programme is filled with diverse and exciting cultures, without forgetting the national presence, which is so important to this event. There is no doubt that bringing back the Capuchos Festival was the right decision for Almada.
As expected, we are once again joined by great names of classical music—Mozart, Chopin, Debussy, Schubert, and Tchaikovsky—in a programme that bridges the entire world. From intersections of Armenian sacred and medieval music to contemporary influences, jazz, and post-minimalism. Argentine tango will also be featured, along with a special concert celebrating the 500th anniversary of the birth of Luís de Camões. Let us not forget contemporary music: works by Boulez, Berio, Donatoni, Grisey, and Stravinsky will be part of the celebration of Pierre Boulez’s centenary.
“Capuchos Talks” also return this year, curated by Carlos Vaz Marques, to commemorate the centenary of José Cardoso Pires and the centenary of the publication of Franz Kafka’s The Trial. These are moments of sharing between the past and the future, truly reflecting the identity of this festival.
One might think that the Capuchos Festival is just for adults. It is not. Music is an art that transcends all ages, and in this fifth edition, that idea has come to life. For the first time, we proudly present the initiative “Opera for Children,” with performances of Mozart’s Bastien et Bastienne for primary school audiences.
None of this would be possible without Filipe Pinto-Ribeiro, the Festival’s Artistic Director. The dedication and effort of his team will be clearly reflected in yet another remarkable edition. Special thanks to the main patron and partner of the event, the BPI/La Caixa Foundation, and to all the other partners who continue to share in this cultural and democratic mission with us.
Welcome to the Capuchos Festival 2025!
Now in its fifth consecutive edition since its revival in 2021, the Capuchos Festival presents the theme “Between Worlds”, offering an artistic reflection on interculturality, diversity, fascination, and dialogue between multiple dimensions — civilizational, temporal, and spiritual — that intertwine and reveal themselves through Music, the universal language present in all societies.
From May 30 to June 27, Almada once again becomes the stage for this major cultural event, bringing together renowned national and international artists. Concerts will be held at the Capuchos Convent, the Festival’s spiritual core, as well as in other venues across the city, including the Joaquim Benite Municipal Theatre, the Fernando Lopes-Graça Auditorium, and, for the first time, Parque da Paz, which will host an open-air symphonic concert.
Among the highlights of this edition is the Portuguese debut of the Swedish chamber orchestra Musica Vitae, which will open the Festival with two concerts led by the brilliant Austrian violinist Benjamin Schmid. The opening program features works by Mozart and Tchaikovsky, bridging musical traditions and geographies. In the second concert, Schmid presents his "Jazz Violin Concertos" project, exploring the fusion between classical composition and jazz improvisation - an absolute first on Portuguese soil.
The “between worlds” spirit continues with The Naghash Ensemble of Armenia, presenting a program that blends medieval Armenian sacred music with contemporary influences, jazz, and post-minimalism. Another standout moment will be “The History of Tango” concert, led by bandoneonist Marcelo Nisinman, a direct disciple of Astor Piazzolla, in a tribute to the roots and evolution of Argentine tango.
In the field of early music, the Festival offers two concerts rich in historical and poetic resonance. “The Music of Camões’ Lyric Poetry”, performed by Concerto Atlântico under the direction of Pedro Caldeira Cabral, marks the 500th anniversary of the birth of Luís de Camões, reviving Renaissance musical practices. Meanwhile, the Baroque Ensemble Tra Noi presents “Telemann goes East”, exploring the dialogue between German Baroque and Eastern European folk traditions.
In the realm of contemporary music and musical thought, the centenary of Pierre Boulez will be commemorated with a recital by clarinetist Jérôme Comte, soloist of the Ensemble Intercontemporain de Paris, founded by Boulez in 1976. The “Boulez 100” program includes works by Boulez, Berio, Donatoni, Grisey, and Stravinsky, showcasing diverse voices of European musical modernity. In turn, the concert “Transfigured Night” pays homage to Daniel Barenboim, bringing together soloists from the Barenboim-Said Academy and the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, featuring works by Brahms and Schönberg, symbols of a transfigured, visionary romanticism.
Portugal’s presence will be strongly felt with prominent names such as the Lisbon Metropolitan Orchestra, conducted by Pedro Neves, performing Dvořák’s iconic "New World Symphony" at Parque da Paz, alongside works by Rossini and Brahms; the DSCH – Shostakovich Ensemble, performing works by Dvořák, Schubert, and a world premiere by Portuguese composer Sérgio Azevedo; and the 100 Caminhos Quintet, leading an original “walking concert” through the Capuchos Convent. Also, the João Barradas Trio will present Aperture, a contemporary jazz project with a strong authorial identity.
The piano will take center stage with two recitals: Dang Thai Son, the legendary winner of the Chopin Competition in Warsaw, will present a program focused on Chopin and Debussy; and I myself will pay tribute to the poetic and transcendental genius of Franz Liszt, in a journey through dreams, love, and virtuosity.
The Capuchos Festival is also a space for thought and sharing. The Capuchos Talks, curated by Carlos Vaz Marques, will precede the Festival with three sessions: celebrating the centenary of José Cardoso Pires, the 100th anniversary of the publication of "The Trial" by Franz Kafka, and a reflection on the Festival's own theme - Between Worlds. Additional parallel activities enrich the Festival: the Capuchos Preludes - pre-concert talks moderated by João Almeida; the Capuchos Walk in the Protected Landscape of the Costa da Caparica Fossil Cliff; the Guided Visit to the Capuchos Convent; and the Capuchos Masterclasses, with distinguished professors from the Universities of Salzburg, Oslo, and Lucerne.
With great joy, we also present, for the first time, the Opera for Children initiative, with performances of Mozart’s "Bastien et Bastienne", in a production directed by António Wagner Diniz, specially designed for preschool and primary school audiences.
The Capuchos Festival 2025 is made possible thanks to the support, first and foremost, of the Almada City Council, the patronage of BPI/la Caixa Foundation, and the Portuguese Directorate-General for the Arts. Our thanks also go to our partners: the Almada Theatre Company, El Corte Inglés Cultural Programme, and RTP Antena 2. A special word of appreciation to His Excellency the President of the Republic, for granting the Festival his High Patronage.
We invite you to journey with us through these symbolic and sonic “worlds.”
May Music guide us, inspire us, and unite us - between worlds and beyond them.
