On the occasion of the bicentenary of his birth, we are promoting within this project the most complete exhibition ever of the work of the Portuguese composer Francisco de Sá Noronha (February 24th 1820, Viana do Castelo – 23rd January 1881, Rio de Janeiro).  Author of an important national opera project, he composed two operas based on works by Garret – Beatriz de Portugal and O Arco de Sant’Ana – and was the creator of numerous operettas, some of them very much liked in Brazil, where he lived intermittently for about 30 years. Noronha was also Portugal's most important virtuoso violinist of the 19th century.

Thus, two virtuoso violinists – a Belgian and an Italian – have been invited to perform Noronha's works for violin in juxtaposition with those of other contemporary masters – Paganini and Vieuxtemps.

In this exciting project, one of Noronha's operettas, “Os Noivos”, will also be staged, using academic resources in Portugal and Brazil. All works performed will be recorded on CD and new scores will be edited and disseminated free of charge by music schools and teachers, with a view to including Noronha in the canon of instrumental teaching.

Discovering Noronha contrasts his adventurous life with the excitement of Liberalism, a period in which Portugal discovered new directions. It will be a full year, working against the clock to help place Noronha in our collective history.