Organised by the local choral group Art’Amoris Ensemble, the festival includes four concerts and a vocal masterclass. The event aims to “contribute to a diverse cultural offering in Coimbra” and create opportunities for training and professional development for young performers, according to a press release sent to the Lusa news agency.
The program began on Friday at 9:30 pm with an opening concert at the Church of the Monastery of Santa Clara-a-Nova. The performance will feature German soprano Susanne Schimmack, accompanied by the Art’Amoris Ensemble, conducted by Carla Pais, and soloists Teresa Queirós and Carlos Figueiredo.
This opening concert included performances of works by Bach and two by Mendelssohn.
The German soprano subsequently led a masterclass for singers, running from Saturday through Monday.
At the conclusion of the masterclass on Monday at 7:00pm, a concert featuring the participants will take place at the Coimbra Major Seminary.
According to the press release, the same venue will host “A Romance in Paris – Young Talents Concert” on the 10th; this performance brings together works by various composers and features musicians from the Art’Amoris Ensemble—“some still in training and others at the start of their careers, yet already possessing artistic track records of recognised quality.”
The festival concludes on the 13th with a semi-staged concert in the cloisters of the Santa Clara da Misericórdia Museum in Coimbra, dedicated to the works of Handel and Purcell and performed by the Art’Amoris Ensemble.
Concert tickets range in price from five to 15 euros.