
The centenaries of influential 20th-century composers Pierre Boulez (1925-2016) and Luciano Berio (1925-2003) are highlighted in the upcoming program, alongside the 150th anniversary of Maurice Ravel (1875-1937), the creator of “Bolero”, celebrating the modernity of his work. This lineup is part of the biennial Reencontros, organized by Arte no Tempo, which will also present its inaugural recordings during this fifth edition.
The Italo-Swiss composer Oscar Bianchi will have his work featured and will lead a seminar, while the pianist and conductor Carlos Lopes, originally from Guimarães, will oversee an interpretative stage and lead the Orquestra das Beiras in the premiere of the Piano Concerto by Inés Badalo, the composer most frequently performed in these Reencontros.
The opening concert on the 15th will feature the percussion trio Taleae, composed of Afonso Primo, Lourenço Oliveira, and Pedro Leitão. They will perform works by Ricardo Ribeiro, Pedro Berardinelli, Inés Badalo, and the world premiere of a piece by Luís Antunes Pena, dedicated to the trio.
“The first weekend points to the future” of music, according to the Arte no Tempo presentation dossier. This includes works by Johann Sebastian Bach, Robert Schumann, Claude Debussy, and Igor Stravinsky.
Cellist Gonçalo Lélis, from the ensemble ars ad hoc and the Gulbenkian Orchestra, will showcase a program that includes Helmut Lachenmann, Isabel Soveral, Joanna Bailie, and Bach. The Re:flexus Trio will premiere a piece by Nádia Carvalho, with an arrangement featuring Gyorgy Kurtág’s “Homage to Schumann”, alongside a trio by the German composer.
The family-friendly concert, commented by the ars ad hoc ensemble, will present works by Debussy, Stravinsky, Clara Iannotta, José Manuel López López, and Pedro Berardinelli. As part of the “New Music for New Musicians” stage, led by Carlos Lopes, a piece for ensemble and electronics by João Moreira will debut.
The opening weekend also features the release of percussionist Nuno Aroso’s new album, in collaboration with the Clamat collective, which includes five pieces by João Pedro Oliveira. This album marks the beginning of Arte no Tempo’s discographic edition, which will be followed by a recording already made by the ars ad hoc ensemble.
The second and final weekend of concerts, starting May 22, will conclude with several commemorative events.
Saxophonist Luís Salomé will perform pieces by Pierre Boulez and Luciano Berio, along with works by Inés Badalo and a premiere by João Moreira. The Orquestra das Beiras, under Carlos Lopes, will feature Ravel, Stravinsky, and premiere the Concerto by Inés Badalo in a chamber orchestra arrangement,with João Casimiro Almeida as the soloist. The Art’Ventus Quintet will include one of Berio’s woodwind quintets with compositions by Luís Carvalho, Marta Domingues, and a new work by Michele Allegro.
The final program of the Reencontros includes the German group hand werk performing works by Francesco Filidei, Natacha Diels, Michael Maierhof, Saad Haddad, Sarah Nemtsov, and Inés Badalo. The music group ars ad hoc from Arte no Tempo will close the biennial with a string quartet program dedicated to composers Mariana Vieira, Isabel Soveral, and Oscar Bianchi.
Complementing the Contemporary Music Reencontros is a seminar by Oscar Bianchi and an aural walk, featuring guided environmental sounds, devised by Tomás Quintais.
The full program can be accessed on the Arte no Tempo website and social media platforms, with concerts primarily held at the Teatro Aveirense, as well as at the Church of the Carmelites, Joaquim Melo Freitas Square, and the University of Aveiro.