THE PHILIPPINES OPENS THE 20th EDITION OF THE TERRAS SEM SOMBRA FESTIVAL WITH A CONCERT OF FILIPINO SOPRANO DUO, THE NIGHTINGALES
28 MAY 2024 - The Philippines opened the 20th Edition of the Terras Sem Sombra Festival with a concert by famed Filipino soprano duo, The Nightingales, on 25 May 2024 at the Igreja Matriz de Mértola.
Mértola, a historic town in southern Portugal's Alentejo region, set along the Guadiana River and known for its well-preserved Islamic heritage and archaeological sites from the Moorish period, was chosen as the first of a series of venues for the annual Terras Sem Sombra Festival.
Vice Mayor and Cultural Advisor of the Câmara Municipal de Mértola Rosinda Maria Freire Pimenta expressed her appreciation to the Philippine Embassy for its active role in sharing a part of Philippine culture with the Municipality of Mértola.
In his remarks, Philippine Ambassador to Portugal Paul Raymund P. Cortes cited the importance of cultural exchanges between countries to foster greater interconnectivity between peoples of different musical heritages. He added that the participation of the Philippines in the Festival in the past years highlighted our interest in ensuring deeper understanding between Filipinos and the Portuguese not only in terms of music and culture but also shared priorities in biodiversity and the environment, key concepts that the Festival espouses and prioritizes.
The concert entitled Para Além das Nuvens: Vozes das Filipinas featured a repertoire of sacred songs, Philippine folk songs, a medley of compositions by the National Artist Ryan Cayabyab Medley, and a Portuguese folk song, A Roupa Do Marinheiro.
Ms. Bianca Lopez and Ms. Bernadette Mamauag, accompanied by esteemed Portuguese Maestro Nuno Margarido Lopes on the piano, captivated a jam packed crowd of around 200 people composed local government officials, residents from Mertola and nearby towns in Alentejo, and followers of the Terras Sem Sombra Festival with their unique style of performance, earning a standing ovation from the audience.
This year marked the Philippines’ fifth consecutive year of participation at the Terras Sem Sombra Festival. The annual participation at the itinerant festival exemplifies the Philippines’ commitment to promoting to the Portuguese and foreign audiences the high caliber of Philippine talent thereby raising the level of awareness and understanding of Filipino culture and heritage.
To further promote the high caliber of Philippine talent, the Philippine Embassy is staging a second concert of the Nightingales at the renowned Basilica da Estrela in Lisbon on Tuesday, 28 May 2024, at 8:00 PM.
The performances of The Nightingales in Portugal are made possible through the generous support of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts. END
