More than 50,000 people celebrated music and literature at BABELL's first major concert night
GNR, Pedro Abrunhosa, and Rui Veloso shared the same stage for the first time
More than 50,000 people gathered on Avenida dos Aliados to experience one of the most memorable moments in BABELL's programme. In a show conceived exclusively for the event, GNR, Pedro Abrunhosa, and Rui Veloso shared the same stage for the first time, giving shape to a celebration of music, literature, and Portuguese cultural identity.
Conceived specifically for BABELL, the concert distinguished itself through the world première of three original compositions, created from the work of three major Portuguese poets with deep ties to Porto. The result of a challenge put to the participating artists by BABELL, these new songs reinforced the dialogue between literature and music that lies at the origin of the project.
GNR performed 'Castigo', inspired by the work of Pedro Homem de Mello. Pedro Abrunhosa premièred 'Fado do Amor Perfeito', built from the work of Vasco Graça Moura and performed with the special participation of Mayra Andrade. Rui Veloso presented 'Respiro o Teu Corpo', inspired by the work of Eugénio de Andrade.
The evening was also marked by uncharted encounters between the artists. GNR and Pedro Abrunhosa performed 'Efetivamente' together; Pedro Abrunhosa returned to the stage to sing 'Não Sei Quem Te Perdeu' with Rui Veloso; and, at the close of the show, Rui Reininho came back to the stage to perform 'Chico Fininho' alongside Pedro Abrunhosa and Rui Veloso, in one of the most moving moments of the night.
By bringing tens of thousands of people together for a free-admission concert, BABELL once again affirmed culture as a space for encounter and sharing. More than a musical spectacle, the evening revealed the dialogue between different artistic expressions and demonstrated how literature can continue to inspire new forms of creation, bringing together artists, works, and audiences in an unrepeatable moment lived at the heart of the city.