Rui Ribeiro Builds Sonic Bridges Between the Lisbon Metropolitan Orchestra and Lusitanian Ghosts
Last Friday, July 4th, Lisbon’s Tivoli BBVA theater hosted a truly remarkable concert that brought together two musical worlds rarely found on the same stage: the refined realm of symphonic music and the vibrant energy of contemporary folk rock. At the heart of this fusion was Portuguese composer and orchestrator Rui Ribeiro, who led the Lisbon Metropolitan Orchestra in a collaboration with the Luso-Swedish collective Lusitanian Ghosts, delivering a performance that transcended conventional genre boundaries.
Lusitanian Ghosts have been carving out a unique niche in the European music scene with their innovative approach: blending traditional Portuguese string instruments (such as the Violas Amarantina, Braguesa, Campaniça, and Terceira) with modern sounds drawn from folk rock and indie. Their mission is not only to preserve the heritage of these age-old instruments but to introduce them to international audiences. With three albums under their belt (Lusitanian Ghosts, Exotic Quixotic, and Lusitanian Ghosts III), the group has steadily built a reputation as pioneers in exploring the aesthetic potential of these regional instruments, particularly in the context of global music.
Meanwhile, the Lisbon Metropolitan Orchestra, founded in 1992, has become one of Portugal’s leading musical institutions, celebrated for its excellence in performing symphonic repertoire and for its adaptability in collaborating with artists across diverse musical landscapes. In addition to maintaining a busy schedule in Lisbon and beyond, the orchestra plays a vital role in cultivating new audiences, running educational projects that bring people of all ages closer to the world of classical and symphonic music. Its openness to artistic experimentation has helped cement its reputation as an innovative and dynamic ensemble.
Under Rui Ribeiro’s baton and orchestral arrangements, the concert offered the audience moments of electrifying intensity, where the resonant chords of traditional Portuguese string instruments intertwined with the rich sonority of the orchestra, weaving together unexpected and evocative musical landscapes. “Creating this kind of fusion is always a thrilling challenge,” said Rui Ribeiro, “because I believe that in music, as in life, there’s always room for new worlds to emerge, full of beauty and meaning.” Ribeiro’s career has been defined by his ongoing quest to build bridges between contrasting musical realms, whether in concert music, film composition, or diverse artistic collaborations.
Beyond packing the venue and captivating the audience, the concert was fully recorded and filmed, with plans underway for a live album that will preserve this extraordinary collaboration. For Rui Ribeiro, the Lusitanian Ghosts, and the Lisbon Metropolitan Orchestra, the project marks not only a significant milestone in their artistic journeys but also a meaningful contribution to musical innovation in Portugal. Those who attended the concert at the Tivoli BBVA theater left with the sense that they had witnessed the birth of a new sonic universe, one where genre boundaries dissolve, clearing the way for artistic possibilities that, until recently, might have seemed unimaginable.
This concert and the planned recordings were made possible with support from the Cultural Fund of the Portuguese Society of Authors.