The Portuguese people celebrate their National Day – Portugal Day – on June 10, the date of the death of their great poet Luís Vaz de Camões.

On this occasion, on June 11, H. E. Mrs. Ana Maria Ribeiro da Silva, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Portuguese Republic to the Republic of Bulgaria, invited diplomats, partners, and friends to an exciting concert followed by a reception.

In her welcome speech to the guests and audience at Bulgaria Hall, Her Excellency emphasized the significance of the holiday and said that she would not speak at length, so everyone could enjoy the great art that was to follow.

Indeed, the evening featured remarkable performances by renowned Portuguese fado singer Cristina Branco and her trio of musicians.

At the concert, the singer performed songs from her 18th studio album, titled Mãe (Mother). Composed by renowned musicians, the pieces once again showcased the richness of the Portuguese musical tradition.

Firmly grounded in the roots of fado, Cristina Branco draws the best from the genre and, by breathing new life into it, brings it closer to the contemporary listener. Supporting her — both in the studio and on stage — were Bernardo Couto on Portuguese guitar, Luís Figueiredo on piano, and Bernardo Moreira on double bass.

It is worth noting that the Bulgarian audience is already familiar with Cristina Branco. In 2010, the singer performed in Sofia — in the same Bulgaria Hall — and four years later, she sang on the stage of the Ancient Theatre in Plovdiv...

Pictures: Embassy of the Portuguese Republic. Above: H. E. Mrs. Ana Maria Ribeiro da Silva, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Portugal to the Republic of Bulgaria.