The music of every country carries within it a history translated into sound.

How music and psychology complement each other, how close Montenegrin and Portuguese cultures are, why he experiences a concert in Kotor as a conversation across the sea, and what he would say to Montenegrin decision-makers from the perspective of an official in a municipality near Lisbon, is revealed in an interview for "Vijesti" by an opera singer, graduate psychologist, and manager in the field of culture. Carlos Faria dos Reis (Carlos Faria dos Reis) iz Portugala.

In early February, he held a concert in Kotor called "Homage to Camois", which was dedicated to the greatest Portuguese poet. Louis de Camois (Luis de Camões) who lived in the 16th century, and organized by the KotorArt festival.

Tenor Carlos Faria dos Reis performed with a pianist on that occasion. Jovanka Visekruna Jankovic, bringing the audience a rich and rarely performed program of Portuguese art song, spanning more than a century of musical creativity, from early romanticism to modern interpretations of Portugal's national identity.

The program marked the 500th anniversary of Camois's birth, and the Portuguese embassy included the event as part of the celebration of Portugal's National Day on June 10. In an interview with "Vijesti", Reiš said that on that occasion he brought "a fragment of the poetic soul of Portugal" to Montenegro.

"There is a completely natural bridge between Montenegrin and Portuguese art and culture, given that both understand the sea, history and longing as universal languages," he says.

Tenor Carlos Faria dos Reis began his musical education by studying harpsichord at the National Conservatory of Lisbon. As a soloist and member of the Lisbon Chamber Choir, he has performed in numerous concerts in the country and abroad, also participating in productions of the National Theater “São Carlos”. He is dedicated to researching historical interpretations of the Portuguese vocal tradition and different musical cultures. In addition to his artistic work, he has a degree in psychology and heads the Department of Culture and Arts of the Municipality of Oeiras.

In an interview for "Vijesti", Reiš talks about the significance of Kamoš's work, but also about music and art in general.

“Psychology has greatly enriched my artistic life. It has deepened my understanding of character, emotional nuances and jitters... Music is emotional communication. Psychology provides insight into how emotions are processed, expressed and received. On the other hand, art teaches psychology about complexity and ambivalence,” he points out, with a message to colleagues and officials in Montenegro that “sustainable cultural systems require continuity and vision”...

You visited Montenegro for a concert in Kotor dedicated to the famous Portuguese artist and poet Luiz De Camois. What does this performance and tribute in Montenegro mean to you, as a performer and a Portuguese person, and how do you experience it?

Coming to Kotor on February 4th, at the invitation of the KotorArt Festival, to pay tribute to Luís de Camois, has a deeply symbolic meaning for me. Camois is not only a fundamental figure of Portuguese literature, but also a pillar of our cultural identity.

To pay tribute to him outside of Portugal, in a city like Kotor, with its layered historical heritage and strong maritime memory, is particularly meaningful to me. As a Portuguese artist, I experienced this performance as an act of cultural dialogue. Camois wrote about journeys, encounters and sea crossings... Singing his lyrics on the Adriatic coast means continuing that expedition in a different form.

Personally, I experience this moment with humility and emotion. I also feel a certain responsibility: I am not only performing music, but I am bringing a fragment of the poetic soul of Portugal to Montenegro.

How would you describe the encounter between music and poetry by Luis de Camois, and why does his verse still prove to be a powerful musical impulse today?

Kamoish's poetry possesses an extraordinary musicality. His mastery of rhythm, inner cadence, and emotional architecture make his verses almost beg to be sung. He moves with remarkable ease between epic grandeur and intimate lyricism. This duality - monumental and deeply personal - is precisely what the music seeks to express. His verses remain powerful because they speak of timeless human experiences: longing, exile, love, destiny... These emotions transcend the ages. When they are translated into music, they gain breath and vibration; they become embodied. And it is this embodiment that keeps them alive.

How would you present the selected repertoire, how does it correspond to the Portuguese cultural and artistic heritage, and how would you describe the uniqueness of the Portuguese vocal tradition in relation to other, greater, and even more famous European musical movements?

The repertoire I have presented is rooted in the Portuguese heritage: poetry from the Renaissance onwards is linked to music composed by Portuguese authors of the 19th and 20th centuries. The Portuguese vocal tradition is marked by a special relationship with “saudade” - a word that has no precise translation. It simultaneously carries longing, tenderness, memory, absence and hope. This emotional ambivalence defines a large part of our music.

Compared to the great European traditions such as Italian bel canto, German Lied or French mélodie, Portuguese vocal art often gives priority to introspection over external expression. Even when it is virtuoso, it remains emotionally inward-looking, almost confessional. Our uniqueness lies not in strength or brilliance, but in the depth of feeling and the subtle shaping of the text.

What are your impressions of Montenegro, do you know anything about our country, culture, and artists?

Montenegro immediately struck me as a country of extraordinary beauty and strong identity. Kotor, with its mountains descending into the sea, seems almost theatrical, as if nature itself had designed the scene.

I am aware of the complex history of Montenegro and its cultural interactions, contacts and influences from the Mediterranean and the Balkans. I want to get to know your composers, traditional singing styles and sacred music traditions, I am very curious about that. The music of every country carries within itself a history translated into sound.

How do you perceive the performance of national/traditional Portuguese music outside its cultural context and what do you think it can universally convey to listeners? What distinguishes it, what makes it interesting to the Montenegrin audience?

When I perform national or traditional Portuguese repertoire outside its cultural context, I do not seek to “export folklore” or tradition, but to convey common human emotions.

Portuguese music is characterized by lyricism, subtle rhythmic nuances and emotional finesse. Even when the language is incomprehensible to the audience, the emotional architecture can be felt. I believe that there is a natural bridge with the Montenegrin audience. Both cultures understand the sea, history and longing. These are universal languages.

Your musical journey began with harpsichord studies, today you are an opera singer, but also a graduate psychologist, and then a cultural manager. How did that path take shape and what guided you?

My musical journey began with the harpsichord and early music. That education instilled in me discipline, stylistic awareness, and respect for structure. The voice came naturally later, perhaps because singing seemed like a more direct form of emotional expression.

Psychology entered my life out of curiosity about human behavior and inner experience.

Cultural management arose from a sense of civic responsibility.

Every step was guided by a desire to understand both art and man more deeply.

Did and in what way did your early contact with historical instruments and early music shape you as a vocal artist?

Absolutely. Studying historical instruments has strongly shaped my vocal approach. Early music demands clarity of text, rhetorical awareness, and stylistic precision. It taught me that music is language and that phrasing is elevated speech. This remains the foundation of my singing today.

Given that you pay particular attention to historically informed interpretations of Portuguese vocal music, do you seek to find a balance between authenticity and contemporary expression and what would be the sensibility of the audience?

Historically informed interpretation does not mean mechanically reliving the past. It involves understanding context, aesthetics, and intent, and then conveying them through a living body in the present moment.

Authenticity must coexist with sincerity. If an interpretation becomes museum-like, it loses its vitality. My goal is to respect the historical style, but also to provide emotional immediacy for today's audience.

Do you believe that culture can have a real therapeutic and socially healing effect, perhaps even consciousness-raising, especially in times of crisis and polarization?

I firmly believe that culture has therapeutic and socially healing potential. In times of crisis and polarization, art can renew dialogue. It allows us to confront complexity without aggression.

Music, in particular, bypasses intellectual barriers and touches something deeper within us. It can raise consciousness, awakening empathy.

Would you like to add something?

Finally, I would like to add that I am honored to have had the opportunity to share Portuguese music with Montenegro. When cultures meet through art, they do not compete, but rather expand each other. The concert in Kotor was not just a performance for me, it was a conversation across the sea. Last but not least, the challenge of creating the program for the concert in Kotor is the responsibility of the Artlink Association from Belgrade, more precisely Jovanka Višekruna Janković, a great person and pianist with whom I have the honor of collaborating through culture and musical performances.

Artists often underestimate the importance of psychological work

You have a degree in psychology. How does that complement you as an artist and vice versa? Does psychology contribute to a deeper understanding of emotional and performance layers?

Psychology has greatly enriched my artistic life. It has deepened my understanding of character, emotional nuances, and stage fright.

Music is emotional communication. Psychology provides insight into how emotions are processed, expressed, and received. On the other hand, art teaches psychology about complexity and ambivalence.

They complement each other.

In your opinion, are artists sufficiently dedicated to mental work, given the times and circumstances we live in, the numerous pressures and challenges we all face?

I believe that artists often underestimate the importance of psychological work. The pressures of public performance, exposure, and professional instability can be great. In an age of speed, digital glut, and uncertainty, inner stability is crucial. Artistic excellence cannot be sustained without emotional balance.

Investing in education, continuity and vision

You have also spent most of your career as the head of the Department of Culture and Arts in the Municipality of Oeiras. Where is that municipality located, what are your responsibilities and what is the daily life of an artist within a public institution like - are the challenges and expectations greater? What would you say is your mission from that aspect, which segments of culture and art to improve in society and how? Would you have any advice for your colleagues in Montenegro?

As the head of the Department of Culture and Arts in the Municipality of Oeiras, whose headquarters are located near Lisbon, my responsibilities include strategic planning, cultural programs, support for artists, and ensuring access to culture for different social groups.

Working in a public institution involves balancing artistic vision, accountability, and public service. The challenges are indeed greater: expectations are high, resources must be managed responsibly, and cultural policy must serve the entire community.

My mission is to democratize access to culture and strengthen the role of art in public life. I would like to tell my colleagues in Montenegro to invest in long-term cultural education and to trust their artists. Sustainable cultural systems require continuity and vision.