Imagine a n eagerly awaited concert to be played by a trio of highly professional musicians for a performance on Saturday 22 November. We suddenly hear that the well-known cellist, Martin Henneken, had been called into hospital for critical heart surgery. Would we have to cancel the sold out show.? No!

Just before he went into hospital, Martin had contacted a fellow musician at the Gulbenkian Orchestra, a young award winning cellist Gonçalo Lélis and asked him to stand in for him. The other two members of the string Trio, Sandrine Cantoreggi and Petra Vahle, rallied round for emergency rehearsals with Gonçalo before the big night.

Come Saturday, the programme for the string trio of pieces by Mozart and Beethovan was totally sublime.

Opus 3 Trio, Sandrine Cantoreggi, Petra Valhe and Gonçalo Lélis

In the friendly atmosphere of the Mascarenhas Gregório Teatro in Silvesit was the perfect ambient for a perfect evening. This was all thanks to the hard work by Sandrine, Petra and Gonçalo – I think I could hear Beethoven in the audience clapping his approval.

The artists with the President of the RC Silves Pam Winn and Sue Lorum Concert Organiser.

Thanks also go to the Câmara Municipal de Silves for use of their wonderful theatre, helping to raise 3000€ towards their local school support projects.