Published on
09/09/2026 - 15:22 GMT+2
The performance by the Cesária Évora Orchestra on Saturday, 12th, is the highlight of the Paraíso festival, which celebrates African culture over two days in the city of Braga.
Made up of musicians who accompanied the "Barefoot Diva" in live performances and studio recordings at the height of the Cape Verdean singer's career, including Teófilo Chantre, composer of many of the songs sung by Cesária Évora, the orchestra backs the voices of Elida Almeida, Lucibela and Ceuzany, regarded as among the greatest voices of Cape Verde. The concert, a tribute to the singer who died in 2011 and is considered one of Cabo Verde's greatest ever symbols, will take place at Theatro Circo at 21:30.
The festival's theme is "Past and Future in Afro-descendence" and it features music, gastronomy, cinema and debates at various venues around the northern city. In addition to Theatro Circo, Paraíso also takes in the Centésima Página bookshop and the gnration venue (source in Portuguese), where on Friday, 11th, the film "Si Destino" by Vanessa Fernandes will be screened, followed by a debate between the director and academic Ana Cristina Pereira, also known as Kitty Furtado, one of the festival's curators.
