As the sun sets over the Mandovi, this evening, with the majestic Divar and Chorao Islands over yonder, the chapel on the Monte will gently reverberate to soul stirring music of the west and the Orient. The chapel and the courtyard of Our Lady of the Mount, Old Goa will see an eclectic gathering of music lovers who start waiting for the next Monte festival as soon as one finishes, a heart warming ritual of expectancy which has continued for 18 years
This year will be even more special as it marks the 25th anniversary of the delegation of Fundação Oriente working in India.
Maria Ines Figueira, Director of Fundação Oriente India, is working around the clock for the festival. “Monte Music Festival is the most exciting event of our calendar. For the past 18 years, we’ve been celebrating the encounter of the East and the West in a magnificent location. Our team is small but very productive. Yvonne Rebello and I programme the festival and take care of its production. We also have full assistance of our partner Cidade de Goa, which has been crucial in keeping the festival alive over the years,” says Figueira.
She adds, “As the festival aims at being a platform for communication between cultural traditions from the East and West, we usually have a balance between Western and Indian classical dance and music performances. Secondly, we seek performances that engage Portuguese artistes, pan-India performers and local groups. After making sure that this balance is achieved, we have to consider logistical and budgetary limitations.”
However, this edition of the festival is not just about it turning 18. It’s about those who create it, celebrating 25 years of their work in India.
“This year, we have one more milestone to commemorate! The delegation of Fundação Oriente completes 25 years of work in India. In terms of the programme, apart from the focus on three exceptional choirs, we will have with us Rão Kyao, the Portuguese musicians whose work is synonymous with cultural understanding between Portugal and India.
Rão Kyao will present a concert in homage to Mahatma Gandhi, after being invited by the Indian Prime Minister to form a team to be part of Gandhi’s 150th birthday celebrations,” explains Figueira.
The performances this year include an Indian classical dance recital titled ‘Ritumaalya - a Garland of Seasons’ performed by Prachi Saathi and Deepali Salil (Bharata Natyam); Saji Menon (Mohini Attam); and Namrata Mehta (Odissi); and the concert Ave Maria by the Kala Academy Choir directed by Maestro Rev. Romeo Monteiro in the Chapel.
On February 8, Goan sitar exponent Ustad Chhote Rahimat will perform ragas along with Mansoor Khan and Dr Uday Kulkarni. The Stop-Gaps Choral Ensemble from Mumbai directed by Alfred D’Souza will present ‘On a Prayer and a Song’ in the Chapel.
Closing the festival on February 9, Portuguese musician Rão Kyao will present a concert in tribute to Mahatma Gandhi. The final concert of this Monte Music Festival will be presented by the Goa University Choir directed by Maestro Santiago Lusardi Girelli and will feature the Portuguese soprano Maria Meireles and the Austrian pianist Karen Schlimp.
“This is one of the few years that we have three choirs in the chapel. Although the programmes in the chapel are restricted to Christian music, we’ve been having other kinds of ensembles and even solo presentations,” she says.
Fundação Oriente’s team starts preparing for the festival one year in advance. “Firstly deciding on the programme strategy, resources, inviting artistes and analysing proposals until the programme is set, which normally happens by September/October. Having a budget that matches the ambitions of your organisation is extremely important but so is having a realistic approach to programming. You have to come up with the best within the resources you are given.
The final programme of a festival, or its success, is a result of a hard process of making sure that every performance presented has a purpose and the result of the festival is bigger than the sum of its parts,” she says.
Their motivation to keep bringing the best in the music world to Goa is the response they receive from a very receptive audience. “We couldn’t be more overwhelmed with the feedback we receive every year. From the audience to the artistes, we have had the most encouraging words and sometimes advice, which is extremely helpful. The impact in obvious and reflects not only in little changes we introduce every year but also in the pressure we feel to surpass the expectations of such a wonderful and faithful audience,” she concludes.