Pianistas Alim Beisembayev and Rafal Blechacz debut in Portugal

A artistic director of FIPO, pianist Teresa da Palma Pereira, told the agency Lusa that the festival, already in 9th edition, has loyalized public and, in parallel, captured new spectators, particularly foreigners.

“ It has grown in public, public that is already used to these events, but also to the audience that is new. We actually found a mix of people that is very interesting. We have observed this during the last editions of the Festival, including more and more people from outside Portugal who may be spending a vacation or spend a few days here, we get such a comprehensive and enthusiastic audience”, said the person responsible.

The Municipal Auditorium Ruy de Carvalho, in Carnaxide, in the outskirts of Lisbon, is the setting for the six concerts that constitute the programming, more than in last year's edition.

Among these concerts is that of pianists Alim Beisembayev, the Kazakh who in 2021 won the Leeds Piano Contest (England), and Polish Rafal Blechacz, who in 2025 won the Chopin Contest in Warsaw.

The festival, organized by the Flor de Murta Music Academy (AMFM), opens this year with a recital by Teresa da Palma Pereira that presents its new album, “Poema”.

About her album, the pianist said it is “many dedicated to the romantic piano, but not only; it has this concept of bringing many short songs, moments ranging from Mozart to Babajanian, an Armenian composer of the 20th century. Therefore, in chronological terms, it covers a lot of time, a lot of music, but it has this concept of presenting short moments that have emotions, impressions, interesting sensations, without words, very viscerally, very spontaneous. And, in fact, also this alternation between a piano that can be the romantic piano, can suddenly already be the piano of the twentieth century, but always with this common tone of letting these sensations flow that cannot be verbalized”.

In this edition, the different pianists will present an essentially romantic repertoire, from the 19th century.

“ We will have a highlight for the romantic piano, a time when the piano flourished more, and with extraordinary pianists. For example: the festival closes with Polish pianist Rafal Lekaszk, one of the great Chopin experts of today”.

The pianist plays on August 2, when he will be honored to 81-year-old pianist Maria João Pires, who recently retired from the stage.

“We will make a retrospective video of the pianist’s career, which we expect is present, and we will mainly meet with the audience so that you can give her your applause and thank you very much for everything she has done and does for classical music and especially for us Portuguese”, said the pianist.

“ The tribute is in fact this collective applause that she deserves so much from the audience that she goes to concerts and that we have the opportunity to join there that day to express to her personally this much thank you”, he added.

Maria João Pires was considered by AMFM the “musical personality” of this year. In previous editions, pianists Tania Aquit, Jorge Moyano and Piotr Anderszewski, conductor and music promoter José Atalaya, sound technician José Fortes, conductor and pianist Rui Massena and artistic director of the Festival of Music Estoril-Lisboa, Piñeiro Nagy, last year received this distinction.

The program includes recitals by Anna Fedorova, Yoav Levanon and Alexei Volodin, ‘masterclasses’ for young pianists, taught by Teresa da Palma Pereira and Ukrainian pianist Ana Fedorova, and a course for amateurs, taught by Palma Pereira.

“ The idea is to encourage the taste for the piano, for the practice of the piano, especially to bring the piano closer to people, to show that what is needed is availability to listen and to participate in the act of musical creation, whether in the concert hall or to learn to play”.

Last year they watched the Festival about 1,800 spectators. The entry is free of charge upon registration at https://fipoeiras.com/events/ .

“ We have this commitment to take culture free of charge to the public of Oeiras and the region; every year we have not only sold out concerts, but a long waiting list”.

The Festival is funded by the Chamber of Oeiras, with other support from the La Caixa Foundation.