Anthony de Mare, one of America's most adventurous and innovative pianists, performs in Portugal for the very first time, exclusively for Porto Pianofest. The concert also marks the festival’s debut at the iconic Museu de Serralves.

Conceived by acclaimed concert pianist and new music champion Anthony de Mare, THE LIAISONS PROJECT is a landmark commissioning and concert project based on the music of Stephen Sondheim. The Project has created a remarkable compendium of 51 pieces that make the case for Sondheim as one of the 20th century's most influential composers - as worthy of the concert hall as the Broadway stage.

Project composers span the worlds of classical, jazz, film, pop, and musical theater. Mr. Sondheim suggested some, others were chosen by de Mare and producer Rachel Colbert. Recordings of the full collection are available across two releases: ECM Records New Series (2015) and Avie Records (2025).

De Mare gave NYC premieres to the first 36 pieces across three sold-out concerts at Symphony Space between 2012-2015, including a 3-concert ECM release launch in 2015 spanning Birdland, The Sheen Center, and Symphony Space. He premiered the subsequent set of 14, created in honor of Sondheim's 90th birthday, across two concerts at Merkin Hall in 2021-2022. He has toured the Project to premiere venues across the U.S. and internationally, with this event marking the project premiere on the Iberian penninsula.