Porto's Casa da Música announces 2025 concert season
Jim Jarmush, Nubya Garcia and Frank Zappa are among the highlights of the programme at Casa da Música, in the year it celebrates its 20th anniversary.
What?
The iconic Casa da Música in Porto will celebrate its 20th anniversary next year with a diversified calendar of live performances with “Crossed Paths” as its theme.
The programme, which was announced on Wednesday, combines jazz, electronica, pop-rock, hip-hop and fado, features national and international musicians and bands such as:
Jim Jarmusch, a central figure in American independent cinema who works part-time as a musician;
Nubya Garcia, a British jazz star who recently released the new album Odyssey;
Eliades Ochoa, a Cuban guitarist, singer and guitarist associated with Buena Vista Social Club;
the veteran post-rock band Godspeed You! Black Emperor;
and the Portuguese David Bruno.
This fresh approach signals the end of past seasons focused on specific geographic regions, aiming instead to create thematic connections across genres, according to outgoing artistic director António Jorge Pacheco, who steps down after 15 years.
The programme includes 270 concerts (which can be consulted in the institution’s website in the “What’s On” section) but leaves room for new artistic input from incoming director François Bou, a French-Catalan cultural manager, who’s currently the artistic director of the Lille National Orchestra.
Difficult time
Despite the celebratory atmosphere, the announcement comes amid ongoing scrutiny following an audit revealing irregularities in service contracts at Casa da Música.
However, Pacheco kept the focus on the 2025 programme, underscoring its commitment to blending classical roots with popular music influences.
He said that there are still “a lot of people” from Porto and the Metropolitan Area who have never been to the institution.
“This signals the room for progression that Casa da Música still has, which is a lot.”
Highlights
Highlights of the programme include the ‘Caminhos Cruzados’ (Crossed Paths) festival in January, a retrospective of Australian-Chinese composer Liza Lim’s work, and a tribute to the legendary Klaus Nomi by the Remix Ensemble in March.
The institution’s 20th anniversary will be celebrated in April with Tchaikovsky’s music, including a performance by the American pianist Claire Huangci together with Porto Casa da Música Symphony Orchestra; a joint concert by Camané and Mário Laginha; and Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater (a version by Bach) performed by the Baroque Orchestra.
In addition, a new cycle dedicated to ‘Women in Music’ will spotlight significant female figures from mythology and history, featuring a tribute to Patti Smith.
In December, the resident Remix Ensemble will perform excerpts from Frank Zappa’s latest album, Yellow Shark, conducted by Peter Rundel, the Remix conductor who directed the premiere of this work in Frankfurt, with Zappa also present.
Background
Casa da Música’s distinct architectural design by Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas continues to be a defining feature of the institution.
Opened in 2005, as part of Porto’s designation as the European Capital of Culture in 2001, the building’s bold, angular form and innovative use of concrete and glass have made it a landmark in Porto’s cultural landscape, providing a fitting backdrop for its diverse and dynamic programming.