6th Marvão International Music Festival kicks off this weekend

For those looking to escape Lisbon for the countryside and soak up a bit of musical culture then Essential Business recommends heading for the Alentejo and the charming Medieval walled town of Marvão for the 6th Marvão International Music Festival.

The magic of classical music against the stunning backdrop of one of Portugal’s most charming white-washed walled medieval villages starts this weekend.
Now in its sixth edition, the Music Festival which attracts interest from all over Europe, could attract up to 8,000 visitors as it did last year.
This year has a truly international lineup and an exciting programme which has been defined by FIMM’s founder and artistic director, Christoph Poppen and includes the Carmina Burana, cantata, performed by the Marvão Festival Chorus, Portuguese performances by Teresa Salgueiro and Divino Sospiro, as well as the Cologne and Israel Chamber orchestras (in its debut in Portugal), to mention only a few of the highlights of an inter-arts programme, which includes cinema, exhibitions and gastronomy, and extends across the border into neighbouring Valencia de Alcântara.
The project has involved the participation of various municipal councils including Marvão, Portalegre, Castelo de Vide and Elvas.
Graça Fonseca, the Portuguese Minister of Culture says that it is essential to highlight and recognise the festival’s outstanding artistic standards, the astonishing diversity it offers and the size of its organisation.
“Marvão offers a unique festival of undeniable cultural interest in an idyllic yet still informal setting.”
Those who venture into Portugal’s stunning interior can expect 42 concerts, 65 composers and 600 artists as well as thousands of passionate music lovers in a village which only has 100 inhabitants!
“Music is the umbilical cord of the universe” said the great conductor Nicolaus Haroncourt. May we all feel the privilege to be nurtured by this cord and may everyone have unforgettable days in this beautiful spot,” says Christoph Poppen and Julian Banse, Founders and Artistic Directors of the FIMM.
The 6th FIMM runs from the 19-28 July with tickets for the opening weekend costing €130 and tickets for the closing weekend €100. https://marvaomusic.com/en/tickets/