Walter Benjamin and Portuguese music at Vic’s 31st Mercat de Música Viva

Every September since 1989, music fans, musicians and music industry professionals alike come together in the central Catalan city of Vic for four days of concerts, talks and networking at one of the sector’s most important professional and leisurely gatherings: Vic’s Mercat de Música Viva (Live Music Market).

The program for this year’s 31^st edition, which will take place from September 18 to 21, was announced on Tuesday.

Artistic director Marc Lloret described selecting the 70 performances as being “very difficult” since many artists, such as A Contra Blues, Mazoni, Maruja Limón or Gertrudis, will be presenting new acts.

The festival’s opening act will be a musical and visual spectacle directed by Julianne Heinemann recreating the last day in the life of German philosopher Walter Benjamin, “L'últim camí de Walter Benjamin,” for which she won the Puig-Porret prize in 2018.

Mercat de Música Viva will also have a special focus on Portuguese music with acts including O Gajo on his Alentejan viola or Porto quartet Palankalama. Catalan pianist and guitarist Raül Refree will also be performing with fado singer Lina.

Aside from musical performances, the festival will also host the next Worldwide Music Festival Forum meeting and put on sessions catering to the 20 something delegates that will be present.