Latest news and stories about performing arts in Portugal for expats and residents.
Split between Porto, Matosinhos, and Gaia, the dance festival begins this Wednesday and runs until the 19th. The programme includes Alice Ripoll, Diana Niepce, Eric Minh Cuong Castaing, and Tânia Carvalho.
Nine years after its last performance, the National Ballet Company (CNB) presents a contemporary version of 'Swan Lake' with choreography by Fernando Duarte and live music.
The show will take place between April 9 and 24 at the Teatro Camões in Lisbon.
A play about forgetting, written and performed by Mário Coelho in 2024, in which he returns to a more intimate, solo format following works for large casts. At Clube Estefânia, in Lisbon, from the 9th to the 12th.
The Lisbon Film Orchestra is bringing a new, adapted version of Stephen Sondheim's 'Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street' to the Teatro Armando Cortez in Lisbon. Directed by Nuno de Sá and staged by Pedro Pernas, this production aims to offer a fresh, conceptual perspective on the classic tale, incorporating elements of film and dark humour to make the macabre story more accessible to a wider audience. The musical runs from April 2nd to May 3rd, featuring Bryan Carvalho as Sweeney Todd and Vânia Blubird as Mrs. Lovett.
About 75% of performing arts workers admitted to having experienced situations of moral harassment, and half reported cases of sexual harassment.
A study on workplace harassment in the performing arts calls for a best practices manual and the creation of an independent commission to develop structural measures against the problem.
A scientific study on workplace harassment in the Portuguese performing arts sector reveals that bullying and sexual harassment are widespread, often perpetrated by those in leadership or artistic direction roles. The research, conducted under the MUDA project, highlights that victims frequently face humiliation, intimidation, and non-consensual physical contact, with many reporting that precarious employment conditions exacerbate their vulnerability and hinder the reporting of abuse. The report calls for urgent institutional action, including mandatory training, independent reporting channels, and stronger legal protections.
Long before the lights go up and the audience starts to enter, the Teatro Politeama is already in full swing. Behind the scenes of this theatre that never stops, there are light and sound tests, stages rising and falling, and a synchronized whirl of actors, musicians, and technicians. On World Theatre Day, we unveil this magical world that Filipe La Féria begins to create from a simple blank sheet of paper.
A modern and very current narrative, where a virtual assistant serves the search for answers to existence.
The work of Manuel António Pina is on stage at the São João National Theatre in Porto.
The premiere of the musical Evita in Portugal, this Friday the 27th at the Teatro Capitólio, marks one of the most ambitious moments in recent Portuguese musical theatre and the return of Sofia Escobar to the national stage in one of the most demanding roles in the international repertoire. Directed by Paulo Sousa Costa, this new production offers a historical, political, and emotional reading of Eva Perón, a figure who continues to divide opinion and spark debate decades after her death. For Escobar, the role represents an artistic turning point, requiring her to move beyond the younger, more naive characters of her past to capture the bipolarity, contradictions, and dramatic weight of a real historical icon. Both the actress and the director emphasize the contemporary relevance of Perón’s struggle as a woman navigating male-dominated power structures, aiming to reveal the human vulnerability behind the myth.
A play based on the work of Manuel António Pina, another that says 'Valentina and Valeria Are Not Dead', the 20th anniversary of Sean Riley & The Slowriders, and notes on Lee Ritenour, Sereias, and Strangelove.
The Theatro Municipal de São Paulo announced last Sunday (22) the return of the São Paulo City Ballet to Portugal. The Brazilian company will perform at the Teatro Municipal do Porto with the show 'Encruzilhada', choreographed by Renan Martins, on April 8 and 9, as part of the DDD – Dias da Dança Festival. The performances will take place at 9:30 PM at the Rivoli Grand Auditorium, marking the group's international tour as they return to Europe with a recent work from their repertoire. The piece investigates collective movement, exploring relationships of encounter, tension, and negotiation among the performers on stage. Created by Renan Martins, 'Encruzilhada' brings together references from popular dances, collective imagery, and various bodily archives, bringing practices that rarely occupy traditional spaces to the stage. The show focuses on collectivity as a practice in constant construction, with dancers working through dynamics of listening, friction, and coexistence. Tickets cost €12 for the 80-minute performance and can be purchased via the provided link.
Hornfuckers is a creation by the choreographer about systems of oppression. It is restraint, poetry, and punk, premiering at Culturgest on Thursday.
An interview with the team behind the first official Portuguese production of the musical 'In The Heights', discussing the influence of Lin-Manuel Miranda, the challenges of the production, and the show's relevance in contemporary society.
Over the last 15 years, several performing arts creation structures, new shows, and festivals have emerged in the Algarve. There is more dynamism and a larger audience, but a regional strategy is still missing.
Teatro dos Aloés is presenting 'Death and the Maiden' at the Recreios da Amadora theatre.
In a future marked by social distancing and artificial intelligence, performing arts such as opera and ballet will remain alive and will have the advantage of being bastions of authenticity. Opinion by Pedro Adão e Silva
Actor Ruy de Carvalho will return to the stage on 22 April at the Coliseu do Porto in the play 'The Mousetrap', directed by Paulo Sousa Costa. The performance marks his return to the public eye following a period of medical recovery that forced the suspension of previous shows in late 2025. Director Paulo Sousa Costa noted that the return was driven by the actor's own insistence and desire to perform. The play, a classic thriller by Agatha Christie, was chosen to allow for a gradual return to theatrical activity due to the nature of the role. Ruy de Carvalho, who turned 99 this March, remains a legendary figure in Portuguese culture with a career spanning over eight decades.
A huge international success since its premiere in 2009, 'Veneno' now arrives at Teatro Aberto. It follows the reunion of a couple, ten years after the tragedy that changed their lives.
A festival that begins this Friday. It features 36 consecutive hours of performing arts.
Written by Dutch playwright Lot Vekemans, the play 'Poison – History of a Marriage' premieres this Thursday, March 19, at Teatro Aberto in Lisbon. It follows a separated couple who reunite ten years after a tragic loss that shattered their lives and left them unable to grieve together. Directed by João Lourenço, the play stars Carla Maciel and Gonçalo Waddington as 'He' and 'She', exploring how individuals attempt to find hope and move forward after life-altering events. The production runs until May 3.
At the debut of the new artistic director of the Teatro Nacional São João, Manuel António Pina's upside-down thoughts dance into physical form, accompanied by the music of A Garota Não and a standing ovation.
The opera focused on Gaza will premiere on Saturday in Guimarães. It is a creation by the Setúbal Voz Association inspired by real events and is part of the Guimarães Lyric Singing Festival.
There is a constant tension from the beginning to the end of the play, punctuated by moments of resentment, explosion, catharsis, and even love. Showing from March 19th at Teatro Aberto, in Lisbon.
Inspired by Tom Stoppard, Jacinto Lucas Pires joined the actress to create 'Valéria and Valentina Are Not Dead', showing at the CCB from March 19th to 29th.
The cast and creative team of the Portuguese production of 'In The Heights' were surprised with a video call from creator Lin-Manuel Miranda. The musical, directed by Sissi Martins, Rúben Madureira, and Martim Galamba, premieres at Teatro Variedades in Lisbon on March 25th. The team described the interaction as a generous and emotional experience, highlighting Miranda's humility and the show's themes of home, community, and cultural identity.
The play 'All Birds' (Todos Pássaros), written by Wajdi Mouawad, makes its Portuguese debut. It explores a love story between a Jewish geneticist and an Arab-American woman, delving into themes of identity, memory, and the deep-seated family conflicts rooted in the Israeli-Arab struggle. Directed by Álvaro Correia, the production features a cast including Madalena Almeida, David Esteves, and Virgílio Castelo, and runs at the São Luiz theatre in Lisbon.
On stage at the Teatro São Luiz, Lisbon, from this Wednesday until March 29th, 'Birds of a Kind' is an 'Israeli-Palestinian Romeo and Juliet'. A play primarily about the search for identity, by Wajdi Mouawad.
