Olivier Latry premiered the restored organ of Igreja da Lapa

The famous and emblematic pipe organ of Igreja da Lapa was heard again this Wednesday, January 11th, in a concert by Olivier Latry

Those in attendance Wednesday evening, the 11th of January, were all keenly aware they were listening to history in the making. After years in a state of disrepair, the monumental organ of the Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Lapa in Porto once again sings. It proved to us in this week’s inauguration with renowned French organist Oliver Latry, Organiste titulaire de Notre-Dame-de-Paris, that it is one of the most important instruments of its kind in Portugal.

Opening the programme with transcriptions of Wagner - perhaps a nod to the organ builders at Klais for their successful restoration - the audience was immediately submersed in the thick, lush harmonic language of the German romantic era. Impressive was the sheer warmth and richness of sound that Latry conjured from the instrument, all without it ever becoming too heavy for the listener. The performance of these operatic scenes on organ was a clear confirmation of what is possible when a master of registration works on a superbly voiced instrument.

It is often said that the organist has an entire orchestra at his disposal. Nowhere has that been more clearly demonstrated than with Latry and his interpretation of Widor’s “Symphony for Organ, Op. 42 No. 5.” Like a master conductor positioned in front of an ensemble, he was able to bring out the most sublime of solo voices, utilising the unique colours and combinations of the Lapa organ. We were taken on a journey from the gentlest of moments in the Andantino and Adagio to a display of purefire in the Toccata finale.

Showing not only his enormous skills as an improviser but also his great humility, Latry created a world-class improvisation on our beloved chant "Nós somos as pedras vivas" with composer, Father Ferreira dos Santos, in attendance. Highlighting a melody we in Porto all know so well, Latry explored the capabilities of the organ, from tone colour to pure volume of sound, and added a unique twist to this familiar classic.

This concert was a determining performance in the musical life of Porto and will remain in the minds of the locals for years to come. Not only was an organ given a worthy inauguration, a community was given back its musical voice, and it will surely be enjoyed for generations to come.

With such a grand instrument back in order, stay tuned for a wide variety of upcoming concerts and events on this page as well as irmandadedalapa.pt