In China, Rui Ribeiro Pays Tribute to Carlos Paredes at the Portuguese Consulate in Guangzhou

The Consulate-General of Portugal in Guangzhou marked the centenary of Carlos Paredes’ birth with a special tribute to the life and legacy of the legendary Portuguese guitarist on November 10. The event, held at the Consulate’s premises, centered around a lecture led by Rui Ribeiro, a Portuguese composer with deep ties to China, where he has developed a part of his artistic career.

Rui Ribeiro described it as “an honor to help broaden awareness of Carlos Paredes’ work in China and to spark curiosity about his music, which is truly universal and timeless.” A long-time admirer of the guitarist, Ribeiro acknowledged Paredes’ influence on his own compositions: “I’ve always been a great admirer of his work, and that admiration naturally found its way into some of my piano pieces. So, when I was invited to take part, I accepted right away. It was a pleasure preparing this presentation and organizing it in a way that builds bridges with Chinese culture and sensibilities, encouraging people to discover more of his music.”

In a more symbolic tone, Rui Ribeiro noted that even Paredes’ surname — which literally means “Walls” in Portuguese — seemed prophetic: “Carlos Paredes spent much of his life breaking down the walls that confined the Portuguese guitar, redefining how it was played and in what cultural settings it belonged. He elevated it to a solo instrument, giving it a voice that was far deeper and more complex than ever before.”

The celebrations also featured a screening of The Green Years (1963), directed by Paulo Rocha, with support from the Portuguese Cinematheque – Museum of Cinema. Inspired by the film’s themes, a namesake art installation, Verdes Anos, was also presented: a collaborative work by British visual artist Matt Hope and Chinese architect Lin Jiangquan, incorporating two sound devices influenced by the musical universe of Carlos Paredes.

Tomás Azevedo, Consul-General of Portugal in Guangzhou, emphasized the importance of initiatives like this one, noting that “such events are essential to raising awareness of Portuguese culture across this vast region,” which includes the provinces of Guangdong, Hainan, Hunan, and Fujian, as well as the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region — together home to nearly 294 million people.

With this commemoration, the Consulate reaffirms its commitment to promoting Portuguese culture in southern China, paying tribute to Carlos Paredes — whose guitar continues to resonate far beyond Portugal’s borders.