17 Jun Cristina Branco sings “Fado Errático” in Paris
On June 20 at 5:30 PM, Cristina Branco will take to the stage of Salle 400 at CENTQUATRE-PARIS in Paris to perform Fado Errático, a work by Italian composer Stefano Gervasoni that revisits the world of fado through a contemporary musical language. Commissioned by IRCAM – Centre Pompidou and premiered in 2015, Fado Errático is a singular creation inspired by the repertoire of Amália Rodrigues, bringing together Portuguese tradition with the sonic experimentation of contemporary classical music and electronics.
Fado Errático evokes the sounds of Lisbon, the sea and the wind, transforming saudade into a space of dialogue between memory, identity and artistic innovation. At the heart of the work is the voice of Cristina Branco, whose interpretation builds a bridge between the heritage of fado and Stefano Gervasoni’s refined compositional writing. The composer describes the piece as a reflection on “the infinity of the West, represented by the ocean, and the history of the East, with the whole of Europe resting on the shoulders of Portugal.”
The performance is part of the programme of ManiFeste 2026 in Paris, one of the world’s leading international festivals dedicated to contemporary musical creation. On stage, Cristina Branco will be joined by Luis Hölzl on Portuguese guitar, the Ensemble intercontemporain, Ensemble ULYSSES and Ensemble NEXT of the Conservatoire de Paris, under the musical direction of Pierre Bleuse. Live electronics will be performed by Matéo Fayet of IRCAM.
The concert programme also includes the French premiere of Vif-creux by French composer Anne Castex, as well as Gougalōn. Scenes from a Street Theater by South Korean composer Unsuk Chin.
This performance further confirms Cristina Branco’s position as one of Portugal’s most distinguished contemporary artists, bringing the expressive power of fado to new artistic territories and prestigious international stages.