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About FMM |
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How the festival was born and what makes
of it the most important world music
event in Portugal. |
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1. Where and how is Sines?
Sines is a town and municipality at the
very centre of Portuguese south-western
coast. The town is known as the
birthplace of Vasco da Gama, the XVth
century sea-commander who went to India
contouring South Africa, a deed of
civilisation fundamental to the
Renaissance's mental and cultural
opening. Vasco da Gama was born in the
Castle of Sines, where the majority of
the concerts of the festival take place.
Inhabited since Prehistory and
self-governing since the XIVth century,
Sines was mainly a fishing and tourism
town until the 1970's. Since then, it
has become a major industrial and port
centre in Portugal. The municipality's
southern coastline, preserved almost to
its wild state, is protected inside the
boundaries of a natural park. Some of
the finest Portuguese beaches can be
found here.
More information on the
Sines' Tourism Web
»
2. What is FMM Sines - Festival Músicas
do Mundo and when does it take place?
FMM - Festival Músicas do Mundo is a
music festival in Portugal organized by
Sines’ City Council, every year, in July
(last two weeks).
3. When was it born and why?
FMM was created in 1999 with the intent
of giving a new and fresh use to the
town’s Castle. The monument was the
birthplace of Vasco da Gama, and the
festival, showing the diversity of
musical expressions in the world,
follows and remembers the intercultural
revolution brought about by the
navigator’s travels. Today, the festival
goes beyond its original physical
boundaries and way beyond any kind of
historical justification. The philosophy
is to bring people together through the
emotion of discovering new music.
4. What music do we listen at FMM?
“World music” is quite an ambiguous term,
but, yes, FMM falls into that category.
From tradition to jazz, from folk to
blues, from tango to reggae, from
classical music to fusion, this is -
above all - a festival without genre
boundaries.
5. Which is the target audience?
Everyone open to discovering new music.
That person can be an old Sines’
fisherman, a young college student or a
music expert. Along its history, the
festival has had in the ability to
attract people from all origins and
generations one of its defining
characteristics.
6. Where does the festival take place?
The festival takes place in Sines’
historical centre (the Castle, Sines'
Arts Centre and Beach Vasco da Gama) and the
village of Porto Covo, 13km south of
Sines. The Castle
holds a maximum of 7,000 people, Porto
Covo 8,000 and the Beach Stage 15,000.
7. How many people have attended FMM’s
concerts?
Since 1999, the total audience of FMM
amounts to 240,000 people.
8. How many concerts were held?
124. Shemekia Copeland, Omar Sosa, Taraf
de Haidouks, Black Uhuru feat. Sly &
Robbie, Hedningarna, Kronos Quartet, The
Skatalites, Tom Zé, Femi Kuti, Hermeto
Pascoal, Marc Ribot, KTU, Master
Musicians of Jajouka, Trilok Gurtu,
Toumani Diabaté, Rabih Abou-Khalil,
Mahmoud Ahmed and Gogol Bordello are
some of the highlights. Check the
full list. |
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PRAISE FOR FMM
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“Portugal’s best
festival”
Álvaro Costa,
RDP Antena 1 (national
public radio
broadcaster) |
"The festival of
joy"
Oumou Sangaré,
Malian singer
(2007) |
“One of the five
best festivals
I’ve ever taken
part”
Iraqi singer
Farida (2006) |
“One of the best
festivals in
Europe”
Finnish
accordion player
Kimmo Pohjonen’s
website (2005) |
“In Sines, it’s
mainly world
music in the
move”
Jacques Dénis,
Libération
(2000) |
“An impeccable
programme for
the quality of
its concerts and
its balance”
Patrick Koan,
L’Humanité
(2001) |
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