The Monte Music
Festival presented by Fundação Oriente and Cidade de Goa is back for the 13th
year to enthrall classical music and dance enthusiasts. The festival, which
began on February 6, 2015 at the Chapel of Our Lady of Mount, Old Goa, will
conclude on Sunday, February 8. Over the years, music lovers have made it a
point to be in Goa to witness this mélange of classical, Indian and western
performances. With its inception in 2002 after the restoration of the Chapel by
Fundação Oriente, the festival has continuously garnered attention and interest
from people from all walks of life with a craving and love for the performing
arts. Presented at one of the most spectacular locations in the state, the
festival is a treat to all your senses and has carved a niche of its own among
the festivals held in Goa, featuring on the itinerary of those who prefer the off-the-tourist-circuit
destinations.
With performances
held inside the old heritage chapel and in the courtyard with a backdrop of the
picturesque Chorao and Divar islands and the River Mandovi, the festival begins
at sundown and goes on till 9pm. Artists from all over the world are a part of
this celebration of heritage, music and dance.
If you enjoyed reading this article, you can help support our journalism by adding OHeraldo as a preferred source.
This year, the
festival kicked off with a violin recital by Sunita Bhuyan at 6pm as the
opening act. This was followed by voice and piano recital by Chloe and Chelsea
D’Souza inside the chapel.
Today, February 7,
there will be a Manipuri dance recital by Darshana Jhaveri and troupe in the
courtyard at 6pm followed by Portuguese guitar and Clarinet recital by Luisa
Amaro and Goncalo Lopes zt the chapel.
On February 8, the concluding
day of the festival, the performances include a santoor recital by Naresh
Madgaonkar, in the courtyard at 6pm. ‘Original Sacred and Religious Indians’, a
Capella works by Cadenza Kantori will be conducted by Celeste and Dawn Cordo at
7pm at the chapel followed by the concluding performance, Goan Folk music group
‘GaVaNa’.
The Monte Music
Festival has had continuous support from the Government of Goa, Department of
Archives and Archaeology, Goa Tourism, Archdiocese of Goa, Goa College of
Hospitality and Culinary Education, Furtado’s Music Store and Milroc
Development Company LLP.
