Arts, Culture and Heritage

Tours For You to offer unique classical musical events

Wednesday, 03 August 2011 00:00

Tours For You is promoting six unique events in Portugal. The best quartets of classical music in the world and the accommodation of charming hotels in Portugal create the ideal environment for the events. With the addition of private, special venues such as the Baroque Library of Coimbra or the Palacio da Bolsa in Porto forlive concerts, cocktails, dinners, as well as interaction with the artists,Tours For You offers high-quality, privately organized programs. Each event will have a minimum of 40 participants and will cost 2,750 euros per person, including four nights’ accommodation, among other inclusions, such as meals, cocktails, and private concerts. Six dates are available from February to November 2012. See the calendar at http://www.parnassusmusicalholidays.eu for more information. This is an ideal program for a couple, a small group or even as a corporate incentive. It is also very versatile since thefour nights can be combined with a holiday in Portugal with more nights.

Festival dos Oceanos in Lisbon

Wednesday, 06 July 2011 00:00

Universality, sustainability and entertainment are just some of the concepts underlying the eighth edition of the Oceans Festival, which promises to enliven and refresh the Portuguese capital between July 30 and August 13, 2011. The program, designed to appeal to the most diverse audiences, includes dozens of free events.

Similarly to previous years, the opening of this event, promoted by Turismo de Lisboa, will be marked by a mega-concert. As already announced, the leading guest star of this year's concert, to be held on July 30 at Terreiro do Paço, is the United Kingdom's Joss Stone, who will share the stage with the Portuguese singer Sara Tavares.

Candidate for Intangible Cultural Heritage, Lisboa's song is one of the highlights in the 2011 calendar, with the event entitled "Fado invites ..." to be held in the courtyard of Patio Galé, as well as other events linked to the Oceans Festival.

The uniqueness of two shows scheduled for this edition: "Water World" and "Muar” will be held on August 5 and 6, in Terreiro do Paço. "Water World" promises an unprecedented hour and a half show of sound and image. Dance, water, light and movement will all merge on these two nights. Similarly "Muar,” which will take place at the same venue, on August 12 and 13, consists of a sound event, fusing different shades and textures with rhythmic beats accompanied live by the band Duchamp Pilot.

This year's Oceans Festival ends with the traditional fireworks display on August 13 at Cais das Colunas.

The Minho is not only “o vira”

Sunday, 05 June 2011 00:00

Do you know Maria de Ponte? The traditional female image has left the pilgrimages for the urban world. She is from the northern Minho, with a typical “puxo” in her hair, happy, with a sense of humor, and a lover of popular traditions. Maria de Ponte was created a little over 1 year ago in Ponte de Lima, by the hands of local designer Madalena Martins, and intends to become an icon of this Minho town. Maria’s image is includes a majority of the traditional fair identities such as a string cow (her pet), the bow that represents the festivities (Matilde’s bow), green whine, and sarrabulho (a much-loved local pig's blood dish). The idea of creating a mascot for this town sprouted from “a project for application of popular Portuguese art to graphic design,” says Madalena. The designer herself is a lover of these popular festivities, the genuine ones with soul “where the people are vibrant.”

Maria de Ponte is inspired by the crossing of the river Lima and it has thus lead to the creation of objects inspired by “gigantones” and “cabeçudos.” Available in two sizes, badges, shirts, mini-umbrellas, and chocolate balls (in collaboration with the Avianense, also from Minho). With the current season in mind, the 35-year old designer used Maria’s image to decorate traditional Easter Egg candy bags. Next month, the creator of Maria hopes to have an on line shop (at www.mariadeponte.pt) to sell these (and other) products. For the time being, they can be found at Papélia (Rua Santa Cantarina, 125), Alma Viva (Praça Dona Filipa de Lencastre, 49), and Serralves (Museu de Serralves, Rua D. João Casto, 210) in Porto. NOTE: The “Bicho de 7 Cabeças” (monster with 7 heads) is another one of Madalena Martins’ projects, and won her last year’s POP (Produtos Originais Portugueses – Original Portuguese Products) of Serralves. Aside from large-scale paper-mache lamps, the artist merges “our objects, raw materials, and the Portuguese sense of being.” Good examples of these are her swallow and sardine pins. On Valentine’s Day, she came up with the “Post-Me” pin on which one can write customized notes to someone.

Pageant of the Festa dos Tabuleiros return to Tomar

Monday, 23 May 2011 00:00

The Festa dos Tabuleiros will be held in Tomar July 2-11, 2011 and it is one of the largest of its kind in Portugal. The Festival has its roots going back to the 16th century in the cult of the Holy Spirit, that began during the reign of King Diniz (1279-1324) and his wife Queen Isabel.
During the Festival the old streets of Tomar are decorated with paper roses and the most colorful and original decorated street is awarded the prize in the evening of the first day. A number of other events are organized and there is always music, dancing and fireworks throughout. The outstanding moment of the Festival takes place in the last day and attracts the greatest number of visitors. Through the ancient streets of Tomar marches the traditional procession where four hundred young women representing all the districts and villages, carry on her heads a symbolic headpiece made with paper flowers and 30 loaves. The women dressed in white with a colored belt are escorted by young men. The tray headgear is the height of a person and weights around 15 kg, it is traditionally composed by 30 loaves threaded on a vertical structure inserted in a basket intertwined with leaves and paper flowers. At the top, the tray has a large painted tin crown with the Cross of Christ or a white dove symbolizing the Holy Spirit.