Portuguese mezzo-soprano Ana Rita Coelho, winner of the Grand Prix Égide at the second edition of the Cascais Opera – International Vocal Competition, was among the featured artists in the concert “Toast to America,” held on 10 June at the historic Old South Church in Boston. The event formed part of the official celebrations of Portugal Dayand the 250th anniversary of the Independence of the United States.
Held in the presence of His Excellency the Ambassador of Portugal to the United States, the concert celebrated the cultural ties between Portugal and the United States through a programme dedicated to Portuguese musical heritage, featuring sacred and secular works spanning several centuries. Organised in partnership with Cascais Opera, the event further highlighted the Competition’s growing international profile and the continued success of its laureates.
Joining Ana Rita Coelho on stage were musicologist Inês Thomas Almeida, who guided the audience through the historical and musical context of the programme, and renowned organist João Vaz, one of Portugal’s leading specialists in organ music.
The programme explored more than four centuries of Portuguese musical creation, featuring works by composers including Manuel Rodrigues Coelho, Marcos Portugal, João Domingos Bomtempo, Matilde Sauvayre da Câmara, Francisco de Lacerda, Jorge Croner de Vasconcellos and Fernando Lopes-Graça, showcasing the richness and diversity of Portugal’s vocal and instrumental heritage.
Ana Rita Coelho’s participation in this prestigious concert follows the recognition she received at Cascais Opera, where she was awarded the Grand Prix Égide in 2025. Since then, she has continued to build a promising international career through a growing number of artistic engagements, reflecting the Competition’s commitment to supporting and promoting outstanding young Portuguese singers.
The presence of a Cascais Opera laureate at an official Portugal Day event in the United States is yet another example of the international opportunities created through the Competition and its mission to foster the careers and international visibility of the next generation of opera artists.
Through this initiative, Cascais Opera further advanced its internationalisation strategy, strengthening its network of partners in North America while promoting Portugal through a distinctive artistic programme that showcased the richness of the country’s musical heritage and created new opportunities for international collaboration.
