Israeli Jazz Duo to Represent Israel at Vilnius Peace Festival on Oct 7
Israeli jazz duo Ofer and Iris Portugali will represent Israel at the Vilnius Peace Festival on October 7, performing a special piece dedicated to the Bibas family.
Amid growing calls to boycott Israeli artists across Europe, Vilnius is choosing memory and solidarity through the Peace Festival opening this week. Israel will be represented by jazz duo Ofer and Iris Portugali, who will perform on October 7, exactly three years since the Nova festival massacre.
The couple will perform as part of an 11-member ensemble featuring musicians from 11 different countries. They will debut Swiss composer Emanuel Schmidt's "Bibas Family Rhapsody," a musical journey depicting the pastoral life of a kibbutz, the horrors of captivity in tunnels, and a search for hope amidst tragedy.
Married since 1989 after meeting at Juilliard, the couple lives in Ganei Tikva, where their musical legacy continues through their children. Alongside jazz, the Portugalis are renowned for blending gospel music with traditional piyutim and unique renditions of Hebrew classics.
