2018
Guitarras ao Alto returned in 2018 for its 4th edition, with Francisca Cortesão and Mariana Ricardo, who took a special show on the road throughout Alentejo, from May the 30th until June the 3rd. With an extra date in August. Just like in previous years, the concerts took place in venues that value the heritage and the landscape, always with a with a glass of wine at hand.
This edition’s novelty was the official sponsorship of Herdade de São Miguel wines, from Casa Relvas, one of Alentejo’s main wine producers, actively engaged in the promotion and dissemination of the region’s culture and tradition.
Designer José Mendes created the poster, with photos by Vera Marmelo.
The artists
Francisca Cortesão
Nasceu no Porto em 1983. Cantora, compositora e multi- instrumentista, desde 2006 que tem em Minta & The Brook Trout o seu principal projecto.
É também co-fundadora dos They’re Heading West. Tem ao longo dos anos colaborado, com voz e guitarras, em concertos e gravações de Walter Benjamin, B Fachada, David Fonseca, Márcia, Sérgio Godinho, Tape Junk, Bruno Pernadas e Lena D’Água. Em 2018 foi convidada a compor para o Festival da Canção.
Mariana Ricardo
Born in 1980 in Lisbon, he is divided between independent music and cinema. He started the musical activity in 1994 participating in several projects, especially Pinhead Society and München.
He composed and performed soundtracks for films by João Nicolau, Manuel Mozos and Miguel Gomes. He has worked as a scriptwriter since 2005, having already co-signed arguments for films by these same directors. Currently he is part of the bands They’re Heading West, The Secret Museum of Mankind, Silence is a Boy and Minta & The Brook Trout.
Dates and Locations
30 de Maio
Estremoz / Claustro do Convento das Maltezas/Centro Ciência Viva
21h30
For the second time, the city where the organizer of the event resides, welcomed Guitarras ao Alto. And again in the Convent of Maltezas, one of the most emblematic and central buildings of Estremoz, which today houses the Ciência Viva Center. National Monument since 1924, began as the Convent of St. John of Penance; was later the only place of retreat of the Knights of Rhodes in Portugal, later integrated in the Order of Malta; also served as the cloistered seat of nuns of this Order from the XVI century; until it was already the Hospital of the city.
31 de Maio
Avis / Claustro do Convento de S. Bento de Avis
21h30
With the invitation the City Council of Avis, for the second consecutive year, Guitarras ao Alto occupied the convent again, and the village’s patrimony, dating from the 13th century, was the origin of the Avis dynasty and was the seat of one of the orders the most powerful military in the country. It is one of the largest monuments in the history of Portugal, which today houses the Interpretive Center of the Order of Avis and the Museum of the Campo Alentejano.
1 de Junho
Beirã-Marvão / Trainspot
21h30
Trainspot is already one of the trademark images of Guitarras ao Alto. For the third consecutive time, we went up to the old train station of Beirã-Marvão, to be greeted by the hospitality, friendliness and friendship of the guesthouse of Lina and Eduardo, and by all the public of that Alto Alentejo that has received us so well.
2 de Junho
Redondo / Herdade de São Miguel
A partir das 16h
The Herdade de São Miguel, located between Redondo and São Miguel de Machede, hosted one of the Guitarras ao Alto shows, where, as an official sponsor, it prepared a unique, mid-afternoon event at sunset, integrated into the vineyard and nature . With food and drinks, walks through the farm, cultural traditions such as pottery, cante alentejano, wine tasting and other surprises, in a day that was unforgettable.
3 de Junho
Crato / Pousada Flor da Rosa
19h
The Municipality of Crato and Pousada Flor da Rosa gave us the honor of receiving the Guitars for the first time. The Pousada is located in the former Flor da Rosa Monastery, built in 1356 by D. Álvaro Gonçalves Pereira, first Prior of Crato and father of the Holy Constable, D. Nuno Álvares Pereira, and where, according to historians, this one was born. It could not, therefore, be a space more loaded with history and magic, like the music it received that spring afternoon.
3 de Agosto
Évora / Praça do Sertório / Artes à Rua
22h
For the second consecutive year, Guitarras ao Alto was a part of the program of the Artes à Rua festival in Évora. A free entrance show, to which the UNESCO World Heritage city has joined in mass, and the music of Francisca and Mariana refreshed a hot summer night.
