Awakening new perspectives on culture and environmental issues was the great challenge proposed by the Festival Terras Sem Sombra to schools in the parishes of Melides, Carvalhal and Comporta.
Almost half a thousand children, aged between 3 and 10, participated during this school year in the project centered on the musical «O Principezinho», by Victor Palma, an adaptation of the work of Saint-Exupéry, a work with a wide range of activities in the arts. and environmental education.
The premiere will take place on June 29, at 21 pm, at the fairgrounds of Carvalhal, municipality of Grândola, with the actors and extras being the students themselves, led by conductor Nuno Lopes, from the São Carlos National Theater, and accompanied by the Choir Youth of Lisbon. The choreographic direction is by Maria Luisa Carles, from Companhia Nacional de Bailado.
This solidarity initiative emerged as an experience aimed at boosting the school community in the artistic sphere.
“With the taste and discipline transmitted by music education – emphasizes Nuno Lopes – children are connected to singing, instruments, movement and, finally, to the show itself”.
The choice fell on the famous work of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry because, as Victor Palma explains, “just like the story of Little Prince, a boy who lives alone with his rose on asteroid B612, it leaves us the message that “the essential is invisible to the eye”, we too, through this project, intend to demonstrate to children and the local population that culture and the environment are fundamental for the development of a society, and that their behavior and sustainable practices have clear repercussions in these two areas. so sensitive."
The project also reflects the pedagogical dimension that is given to Festival Terras sem Sombra by the organizer, the Department of Historical and Artistic Heritage of the Diocese of Beja, as a factor of cultural inclusion in the field of music.
According to José António Falcão, director-general, “social responsibility is not limited to issues related to safeguarding biodiversity, of which the Festival is a great driver; we have to go further and, through this project, we intend to broaden our activities and guarantee the access of many children to culture and, in particular, to music – that is, we are preparing the audiences of the future”.
In a region where the natural heritage acquires remarkable importance, the Terras Sem Sombra Festival had the commitment of the Herdade da Comporta Foundation and of the school groups and municipalities of the two municipalities covered – Grândola and Alcácer do Sal – and found a solid basis to carry out this project of considerable proportions, which involves more than a hundred volunteers.
In addition to the awakening of the children's artistic sensibility, the environmental aspect is also present, as all the material used in the piece was made by schools from recycled materials.
Biographies:
Victor Palma:
Born in Lisbon in 1977. He studied classical guitar, choral direction and composition. With a degree in Music Education, he completed a postgraduate degree in Popular Music Studies.
He has been coordinating, for several years, the educational service of the Museum of Music, also developing an intense activity as a composer and producer of musical theater shows.
His works, in which the religious repertoire and children's plays stand out, have been interpreted and recorded by various groups.
Nuno Margarido Lopes:
He studied at the Instituto Gregoriano de Lisboa and the Escola Profissional de Arcos do Estoril. Completed the Composition and Piano Course with Evgueni Zoudilkin and Alexei Eremine, from the Moscow Piano Quartet. Won the Improvisation Award in 1996.
In 2002 he participated, as a soloist, in the Orquestra Real Philarmonia de Galicia (Santiago de Compostela), at the invitation of conductor Antoni Ros Marbá, alongside violinist Daniel Hope. He also performed in Belgais with Maria João Pires and Augustin Dumay.
In 1997, he was invited by conductor João Paulo Santos to be his assistant as a pianist in the Choir of the National Theater of São Carlos, where he settled, performing the functions of co-repetitor conductor and collaborating with the Orquestra Sinfónica Portuguesa.
In 2012, she performed in recital with soprano Dimitra Theodossiu at the Festival Terras Sem Sombra and with soprano Elisabete Matos at the Grande Auditorium of the Vila Flor Cultural Center in Guimarães. He is artistic director and principal conductor of the Lisbon Youth Choir.
Maria Luisa Carles:
Born in Panama, he studied at various dance schools and at the National Conservatory of Panama, joining, in 1972, the National Ballet Company of that country.
In 1975, he attended the Royal Academy of Dancing's Teachers Training Course in England, graduating in Dance.
He returned to Panama in 1980 and rejoined the Ballet Nacional, under the artistic direction of Dariusz Hochman, performing functions as a dancer and assistant director in Panama and Guatemala.
In 1981, he joined the Companhia Nacional de Bailado de Portugal, under the direction of Armando Jorge.
In 1983, she was appointed professor at the CNB Dancer Training Center. Her curriculum included collaboration as a teacher, guest dancer and rehearser for the Companhia de Dança de Santarém – later Companhia de Dança do Tejo (1985-1989); the direction of the Dancer Training Center (1985-1989); and the executive and pedagogical direction of the CNB's Technical School of Ballet Professionals (1989-1995).
He has been teaching Classical Dance Technique since 1993 at the Dance School of the National Conservatory (EDCN).
In 1996, she was appointed production director at CNB, under the direction of Jorge Salavisa. Currently, she accumulates the functions of production director at CNB with classes at EDCN.
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