The international music festival Porto Pianofest returns from August 1 to 11, with confirmed performances by José Ramon Mendez, Lisa Yui, and Evan Shinners. The first concert takes place on July 30 at Bolhão Market, featuring the usual eight-hour marathon of consecutive piano performances.

In a statement, the festival organization, which will visit venues in Porto, Vila Nova de Gaia, and Vila Nova de Famalicão, explains that the programming of the 9th series of Pianofest kicks off this month with presentation concerts, this time with stops at European stages in Paris and Madrid, before the usual galas in New York and Washington.

The first concert took place on the 23rd at Teatro Real in Madrid, followed by another on the same day, featuring Nuno Marques and vice-director Mariel Mayz, both pianists based in the United States, with special participation by Luis Fernando Pérez.

The festival was presented this Friday, the 26th, in Paris, specifically at the Portuguese Embassy in France, as part of the April 25 celebrations, where the pianists were accompanied by singer Lara Martins in a performance inspired by the April songs, adapted for piano.

The festival then heads to the United States, where it will perform in New York on May 16 and in Washington on May 17, with a concert at the residence of the Portuguese ambassador to the U.S., featuring Nuno Marques, Mariel Mayz, and Lara Martins for both shows.