Portuguese Pianist Bernardo Santos to Debut in Havana

Portuguese pianist Bernardo Santos will give his first performance in Cuba on October 2, at 6:00 p.m. at the Minor Basilica of the Convent of St. Francis of Assisi, located in the Historic Center of Havana.

Under the artistic direction of Helson Hernández, the program will include piano and chamber music repertoire by great maestros such as Franz Liszt, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, and his fellow countryman Antonio Fragoso.

One of the highlights of the concert will be the participation of Cuban guest soloists who will share the stage with the maestro, who is also the President of the World Piano Teachers Association (WPTA) Portugal. Cellist Amaya Juztis will perform several chamber duets with the host, while soprano Tiffany Hernández will captivate the audience with her voice in a traditional Portuguese fado and a Cuban song by composer Gisela Hernández.

In addition to his artistic career, Bernardo Santos is also dedicated to the research of 20th-century Portuguese music. He is responsible for critical editions of works by Berta Alves de Sousa, Frederico de Freitas, and Ruy Coelho, with his current research focusing on piano music by the latter composer.

The concert is sponsored by Camões – Institute for Cooperation and Language, the Embassy of Portugal in Cuba, the Office of the Historian of the City of Havana, CMBF Radio Musical Nacional, and the Cuban Ministry of Culture.

Translated by Luis E. Amador Dominguez