Frágua de Amor

by Gil Vicente
directed by António Augusto Barros

A Escola da Noite, O Bando de Surunyo

Portuguese Sign Language interpretation

January 17

A famous king, “so eloquent he has the whole world under his spell”, wishes to conquer a castle that is “graceful, strong, fearsome, as beautiful as can be”. The king is João III of Portugal, and the “castle” is Catarina, the sister of emperor Carlos V of Spain. Meanwhile, Cupid, the little god of love, has escaped Olympus and his mother, Venus, to help the king conquer Catarina. For that purpose, he creates a magic frágua (forge), moved by the music of the planets and the joys of love, which will prepare Portugal for a new age. The machine refashions the Portuguese people, improving those who enter it: an old man turns into a little boy, a friar becomes a warrior, and a “hunchbacked, crooked, most misshapen” justice is renewed and made straight. Frágua de Amor [ The Forge of Love ], a tragicomedy written by Gil Vicente in 1524 in celebration of João III and Catarina’s marriage, brings together A Escola da Noite, a theatre company, and O Bando de Surunyo, an ancient music ensemble. Theatre and music breathe life into this “grand and glorious forge”.

Credits

by Gil Vicente directed by António Augusto Barros translation of the Castilian verses José Bento music direction Hugo Sanches set design João Mendes Ribeiro, Luísa Bebiano costumes and props Ana Rosa Assunção lighting design Danilo Pinto direction assistance Ana Teresa Santos, Igor Lebreaud, Miguel Magalhães music direction assistance Carlos Meireles dramaturgy assistance Nuno Meireles cast Ana Teresa Santos, Carlos Meireles, Igor Lebreaud, Maria Quintelas, Miguel Magalhães, Mónica Camaño, Nuno Meireles, Ricardo Kalash, Sérgio Ramos
music Eunice Abranches d’Aguiar (soprano), Irene Brigitte (soprano), Patrícia Silveira (alto), Carlos Meireles (tenor), Sérgio Ramos (bass), Hugo Sanches (lute, guitar), Xurxo Varela (gamba), Carlos Sánchez (cornet, flute), Rita Rogar (flute) produced by A Escola da Noite, O Bando de Surunyo co-produced by Artway, Centro Dramático de Évora, Centro Dramático Galego, Teatro Académico de Gil Vicente, Teatro Nacional São João, within the scope of the Rede de Teatros e Cineteatros Portugueses opening 14 Nov 2024 Teatro Académico de Gil Vicente (Coimbra)