There is so much going on right now, it's simply insane! July is filled with music here in Lisbon, with the fantastic Festival held nearly every night on the square in front of the Lisbon Opera House, off of Chiado, the chicest street in Lisbon. The Orchestra Sinfónica Portuguesa has already performed three different programs, two of which were live on TV (smile!). Everyone loves the "urban arena" created by the beautiful 18th century buildings and the energy of the rapt crowd, many of whom stand through the entire program. Classical music dead? Don't think so! Here are two photos of the setting a couple hours before showtime Sunday—within an hour, every chair and standing place would be occupied. The program was versions of Romeo and Juliet by Tchaikovsky, Gounod, and Prokofiev, with outstanding singing by the young soloists: Christiana Oliveira, soprano and Airam Hernández, tenor, in the Gounod.
