11 JUNE to 3 JULY 2021
Almada, Portugal
Artistic Director: Filipe Pinto-Ribeiro

Festival dos Capuchos 2021

Welcome to the 2021 Capuchos Music Festival!

Over its 21 editions, between 1981 and 2001, under the artistic direction of José Adelino Tacanho, the Festival hosted numerous national and international soloists and ensembles, and its eclectic programming was eagerly anticipated year after year
Two decades later, the Capuchos Festival is “reborn” at its namesake location, the Convento dos Capuchos, which also inspires its programmatic concept: “five centuries of History and five centuries of Music”, reflecting the extraordinary musical creation spanning nearly 500 years, from the Renaissance to contemporary music.

Several concerts feature repertoire composed during the active period of the Convento dos Capuchos, from its construction in the mid-16th century to its decline following the fall of the Távoras family and the dissolution of religious orders in 1834.
The opening concert of the 2021 Festival presents a compelling dialogue between a cappella works by the most prominent Portuguese composers of the golden age of Renaissance polyphony and the instrumental counterpoint of Johann Sebastian Bach.
The Renaissance repertoire also features in the lute and vihuela recital by Hopkinson Smith, an undisputed master of plucked string instruments and a central figure in the early music movement and historically informed performance.
This marks his return to the Capuchos Festival—a concert of special significance, celebrating both his return after more than 20 years and paying tribute to the Festival’s founder, José Adelino Tacanho, who passed away in 2004 and studied lute in Basel under Smith’s guidance.
Among the many highlights of the 2021 Capuchos Festival, which features ensembles and musicians of excellence—some performing in Portugal for the first time—and a varied, appealing repertoire, two events stand out:
The centenary of Astor Piazzolla, commemorated with a concert dedicated to some of the most iconic works of his nuevo tango and a performance of his tango opera Maria de Buenos Aires, a masterpiece of the Argentine composer.
The presence of Alfred Brendel, a towering figure of post-World War II musical interpretation, who will be honored by the Festival in the year of his 90th birthday.
This tribute spans two consecutive days, including a highly anticipated lecture on his musical life, a reading of his own poetry, and two concerts featuring repertoire by one of his closest composers: Franz Schubert.
As a prelude to the Festival’s musical days, the “Capuchos Conversations” series in 2021 is dedicated to three centennials of pivotal figures in world literature: Dante, Baudelaire, and Dostoevsky.

This year, like 2020, will be indelibly marked by tragic moments related to the Covid-19 pandemic—times of great difficulty and unforgettable challenges. Amid these circumstances, the extraordinary mobilization of many people and the support of numerous institutions made the highly anticipated return of the Capuchos Music Festival in 2021 possible and unforgettable. Special thanks go to the Câmara Municipal de Almada, promoter of this admirable initiative, and the principal patron BPI/Fundação “la Caixa”, allowing us to celebrate life united through great music!

A heartfelt thank you to everyone!

Filipe Pinto-Ribeiro
Capuchos Festival Artistic Director