Os portugueses: O rapaz da montanha

The Auditorio de Tenerife has scheduled a concert of Portuguese music with composer and pianist Rodrigo Leão.

The music of Madredeus was widely acclaimed in Spain. Group leader Rodrigo Leão is back to thrill us with his combination of minimalism and traditional Portuguese songs.

Nearly 40 years ago, Rodrigo Leão gained attention in Spain through his project Madredeus. Now, in this second volume of his hit album Os portugueses, he unfolds an emotive landscape of the country of our next-door neighbours and a rich display of its literature, images and music. The expansiveness of his songs reflects his travels and his abundant encounters with the melancholy and the joy of the people, the countryside, and the streets of his homeland. The relationship to the music he heard in his adolescence in the 1970s is the starting point for his original compositions in Portuguese, some of which use polyphony and traditional sounds. The creative universe of this international artist comprises a wide range of musical, literary, and visual influences, all closely related to his songs and travels throughout his country.

Rodrigo Leão, one of the most emblematic figures of Portuguese music, offers us a surprise with his new project O Rapaz da Montanha (The Boy From the Mountain). Continuing a career marked by melodic elegance and collaborations with artists such as Ryuichi Sakamoto and Beth Gibbons (Portishead), the Portuguese composer invites us to enjoy a show that brings together tradition and avant-garde in a unique experience.

With a sound that evokes the deepest roots of Portuguese identity, O Rapaz da Montanha combines the strength of choral singing, the intensity of percussion, and the captivating power of songs that tell stories of struggle, hope, and redemption. A show in which every note transports spectators to sonic landscapes that ring with emotion and depth through the blending of traditional elements and the unmistakably contemporary style of Rodrigo Leão.

The lyrics, most of which were composed by Ana Carolina Costa, address universal themes with direct, emotive language. Addressing subjects ranging from everyday survival and the search for identity to liberation and hope, each song is an emotional journey.

O Rapaz da Montanha represents the culmination of years of musical experience, maintaining the essence of Rodrigo Leão while exploring new sonic territories. It is a testament to his restless creativity and ongoing artistic development. Seven years ago, marking his 25th year as a solo artist, Rodrigo showcased the astounding versatility of his works with the launching of O Aniversário, a two-CD retrospective of his greatest hits and favourite compositions, along with the rerelease of Os Portugueses, the second volume of which he is now presenting in 2025 with a tour of Europe that began at Teatros del Canal and will be repeated at several venues in Spain.