A special Christmas concert courtesy of two standout Algarve ensembles will bring the spirit of the festive season to Ferragudo this weekend.
The fifth Solidarity Christmas Choral Concert will take place on Sunday, November 30 at 5pm in the main church of Ferragudo, promising to be one of the highlights of this year’s Artenata, Ferragudo’s annual Christmas fair.
Taking the stage will be two of the Algarve’s most celebrated choirs: the Paderne Choral Group, founded in 1859 and one of the oldest musical societies in the south of Portugal, and the long-established Ideias do Levante Choir.
The Paderne Choral Group, under the baton of maestro Tiago Horta, will open the evening with pieces like Kyrie and Adeste Fideles before moving onto the commercial classics such as Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Jingle Bells, and Jingle Bell Rock. The group also weaves national numbers such as Roxozinho, Arre Burriquito, and the much-loved Noite Feliz.
After the interval, the spotlight moves to the Ideias do Levante Choir, led by conductor Maria Saramago. Their selection will feature everything from Cold Snap to Come, Follow Me and The Sound of Music. The choir also brings a strong national identity to the stage with pieces such as Frum, Frum, Frum, Natal – “Naquela noite fria”, José embala o menino, and the Alentejo lullaby O menino está dormindo.
Entry is by donation, and all proceeds, whether in cash or essential goods, will go directly to the St. Vincent de Paul Conference – a Catholic lay movement “dedicated, under the influence of justice and charity, to carrying out initiatives aimed at alleviating the suffering of others, particularly the most socially and economically disadvantaged, through the coordinated work of its members.”
