Porto Municipal Theatre new season was announced today

The programming for the Porto Municipal Theatre new season was presented today, and the highlight is the reinforcement in the bet on companies and artists of Porto. Another highlight is the celebration of Rivoli’s 90th anniversary. Still, a total of 118 performances will maintain the online format, as well, to reach new and wider audiences.

The kick off of the Porto Municipal Theatre 2021/2022 season is just around the corner. The Mayor of Porto, Rui Moreira and the Director of Porto Municipal Theatre, Tiago Guedes presented the programming, with a special detailing on the period from September to December: “We can expect a season where our action axis build up, namely the international dance programming and the support in co-productions to companies and artists in the city. A more robust support what we do best in the city”, enhanced Tiago Guedes.

This presentation session took place in the auditorium of the Campo Alegre Municipal theatre (TMP), where Mayor Rui Moreira took stock of the season that is now coming to an end: “This was a season in which the TMP delivered, materialised and strengthened its mission”. Not only due to the “close dialogue” with companies and artists, so that the many projects that had to be postponed due to the pandemic, in the first half of 2020, could be presented throughout this season”, but also “by the ability and the quality of the response to the challenges that arose with the pandemic, as regards continuation of contractual obligations and the dynamics of artists versus audiences”.

“Between September 2020 and until the end of this month of July, there were 110 performances presented; 62 of which by artists and companies that work from the city”, highlighted the Mayor, noting that in the same period, “there were 116 online streaming, such as shows, talks and Meetings, workshops and other activities, which is telling of the importance and increasing attention devoted to this format, which is here to stay”.

Rui Moreira furthered that “the total number of shows is yet to be finalised, however, there will be circa 118 shows, 60 of which by artists and companies of the city.”

The investment in the programming by the TMP, the DDD Festival and the Campus Paulo Cunha e Silva for this season is over 1.7 million euros.

As regards the Campus Paulo Cunha e Silva, whose equipment was inaugurated last 9 June, the Mayor of Porto considered that it “has closed a loophole in terms of artistic residencies and artistic creation”. “Right now, we already have 270 applications in the Campus platform, which confirms the need and the importance of this space for the artistic community”, the Mayor stated.

Programme highlights

The Director of the TMP, Tiago Guedes announced some of the highlights for the 2021/2022 season, such as Jan Martens, Marlene Monteiro Freitas, Vera Mantero, Dimitris Papaioannou, Maguy Marin and Ensemble – Sociedade de Actores. The first national creation to debut will be “A História do Soldado”, by Stravinsky/Ramuz, a collaboration between the choreographer Né Barros and Ensemble – Sociedade de Actores, from 6 to 9 October, at the Campo Alegre, and on 10 October, at the TMP Online.

The first four months of the year, the TMP maintains its link to the city’s festivals, welcoming the festival MEXE – 6th International Meeting of Arts and the Community, Porto/Post/Doc, MICAR – Mostra Internacional de Cinema Anti-Racista, Queer Porto 7 – Festival Internacional de Cinema Queer and the Festa do Cinema Francês.

Also in the agenda, are the partnerships with Medeia Filmes, Cultura em Expansão, Instável – Centro Coreográfico (Palcos Instáveis), Curso de Música Silva Monteiro (Novos Talentos), Universidade Lusófona do Porto (Do Acontecimento) and WOMEX – Worldwide Music Expo.

The new season of the TMP will have five programming focus, of which the traditional Foco Famílias, devoted to children and families.

The 90th anniversary of Rivoli is celebrated in January 2022 with a programme that combines literature, dance, music, contemporary circus and theatre. Until the end of 2021, there will also be “Quintas de Leitura”, the initiative that commemorates its 20th anniversary, and that features three sessions on 14 October, 4 November and 16 December, at the Theatre Campo Alegre.

In the margin of this presentation, which was also attended by the vice-Mayor of Porto City Hall, Filipe Araújo, and councillor Catarina Araújo, who is also the Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the municipal company Ágora, Tiago Guedes showed “optimistic” about a full comeback of the audiences to the concert halls. “Let’s hope that the vaccination goes well, and that things start to improve, so that the public can return to their cultural habits. The Theatre has been open since 19 April, with the Festival DDD – Days of the Dance, and it has always been full”, he explained.

This season will also see the triangulation between Porto Municipal Theatre, the DDD – Festival Dias da Dança and the newly inaugurated Campus Paulo Cunha e Silva; this will be the bet, with the online format also in the agenda to reach wider audiences. “With closed theatres, the online format worked just fine, and also beyond the district. I am talking about the country and even outside the country. Online, many audiences can reach our programing. We decided that the TMP would always keep its in-person and the online format as well, at all times”, Tiago Guedes concluded.

During the 116 online streaming by the TMP, between September 2020 and July 2021, there were over 118 thousand views. From countries such as Brazil, UK, Luxembourg, Germany, Denmark, Italy, Finland, Spain, Norway, Switzerland, The Netherlands and the United States of America.

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