The history of cooperation between Companhia de Música Teatral and Casa das Artes de Famalicão practically dates back to the founding of both, more than two decades ago.

The deepening of the relationship between entities with the Opus Tutti and Germinarte projects is particularly emblematic, which, through innovative models of training professionals and intervention in the school community, implemented a set of best artistic practices for childhood and educational intervention in the surrounding area of the Municipality.

Having, in practice, started its activity with the O Gato das Notas for Expo 98, Companhia de Música Teatral (CMT) was formally constituted as a cooperative with recreational and cultural purposes in 1999 by its founding members who are mostly from Vila Nova de Famalicão. The geographic complicity with Casa das Artes and the almost simultaneous birth of both entities meant that their paths crossed several times in the face of similar objectives. From the beginning, Casa das Artes opened its doors to CMT creations: among others, the works Andakibebé, BebéPlimPlim, AliBaBach, Patrulha, MNF, Grande Bichofonia, Cyberlieder, Babelim took their first steps there.

Thus, a stable context for the creation and development of ideas settled, which has spread to other entities in the surrounding area. Schools and, in general, the entire educational community were involved and transported into the interior of the relationship that resulted in the origin of Pontes de PaPI. The activity has extended to other areas, namely with the Environment, and there is also a significant journey with Parque da Devesa. We are constantly exploring new directions with other entities in the municipality, which is currently experiencing a moment of artistic growth and consolidation of its great cultural potential.

 

Cooperation Milestones

A Cradle of Creation

Casa das Artes has been a fundamental partner in several co-productions and in particular in hosting the artistic residencies that materialize the projects.

This partnership resulted in co-productions such as: Anatomia do Piano (2012) in Co-production with Casa das Artes from Vila Nova de Famalicão. A show that proposes the deconstruction of the piano, an instrument that is perhaps the most influential in the history of western music; NOAH (2017) in Co-production with Casa das Artes from Vila Nova de Famalicão | Cineteatro Alba | Aveiro Theater. A show that draws attention to the fragility of the world we live in.; O Céu por Cima de Cá (2020), in Co-production with Casa das Artes from Vila Nova de Famalicão. An artistic proposal that seeks to build an imaginary space where current time and the past are (con)fused, real and virtual space are interconnected, everyday life and art intersect. Aguário (2021) in Co-production with Casa das Artes from Vila Nova de Famalicão. A set of “performative poems” where the multiple voices of water and the beings that inhabit it mix with the piano, the human voice, the body and movement, image projection and scenic objects; A Canção da Terra (2022) in Co-production with Casa das Artes from Vila Nova de Famalicão | Cineteatro Alba | Municipality of Lagoa. A show that is inspired by the idea that the Planet has a “voice” and brings to the artistic discourse the concern with our relationship with the World we inhabit.

In Parque da Devesa, the trees that fell in the winter of 2016 were reborn transformed by Music. At the invitation of Parque da Devesa, we attuned our senses to the reverberation of the Park and from this work resulted the sound sculpture Metamorfose, an artistic proposal that aims to enable a sound and visual dialogue and that continues to resonate, every year.

 

Bridges of PaPI

Bridges of PaPI is model of intervention developed within project Opus Tutti, which aims to strengthen the relationship with local communities and audiences, aimed at cultural institutions that play a fundamental role in the relationship with the Arts.

It is an incentive to promote the articulation model between quality presentations in spaces such as theaters and cultural institutions and the development of repercussions in other environments such as nurseries and kindergartens, through the creation of theatrical music pieces characterized by great portability. PaPI (Portable Play to Play) is the collective designation of the set of small musical-theatre plays (Opus) aimed at early childhood. The plays are presented in an articulated way in both spaces (theatre and nursery) and the impact of the initiative is widened through a set of strategies to consolidate the bridge between both worlds. Children, parents and professionals are actively involved in these actions, interpreted as an extension of the cultural institution within the teaching establishment.

The Casa das Artes in Vila Nova de Famalicão was a pioneer in the construction of the PaPI Bridges, having created conditions for the circulation of a large part of the cycle’s pieces. It therefore adopted this itinerancy model right from the start, helping to spread the idea that early childhood and childhood deserve the best in the world. The construction of a global bridge is an ongoing process with room for all partners who wish to determine their impact on the community in a decisive way.

 

Nest of a Thousand Birds

The Constellation Thousand Birds, was born from Orizuro in co-production with Casa das Artes. It deepens the work initiated in 2011 within the Opus Tutti and Germinarte projects (both supported by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation) in which, through innovative models of professional training and intervention with the school community, a set of good artistic practices for childhood was implemented deepening the relationship between the Companhia de Música Teatral, Casa das Artes and the educational intervention in the surroundings of the Municipality.

Seeking to raise awareness of environmental issues, the need to care for others and the planet, Thousand Birds is a global project dealing with issues that know no borders and which must be addressed from early childhood. Integrating various aspects of artistic and educational activities, it aims to promote musical and artistic experiences throughout the entire community, seeking to promote dialogue between families and establish educational bases for long-term results.

The project is developed through a model of work in the community with several aspects and uses a wide range of activity proposals that include training, workshops, autonomous or group activities, online activities, publications, shows designed for schools, shows designed for Theatres, Facilities, Conferences and remains in continuous evolution.

The initial success of the project in 2018 dictated its continuity and expansion in the following year. Also in 2020, in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic and population confinement, the idea arose to take the project to the homes of all families and transform Vila Nova de Famalicão into an Orizuro City.

Still in the context of Covid-19 and with the support of the Garantir Cultura program of the Ministry of Culture, in 2021-22 and in partnership with Casa das Artes and Parque da Devesa, and in close collaboration with the Municipal Division of Culture and Tourism, we developed the Jardim Orizuro project: Three social and educational intervention actions aimed at different target audiences, mediated by artistic practices in institutions in the municipality: the Centro Social Paroquial de Requião, the Kindergarten of Seide and the Social Center of the Parish of Castelões .

The journey of Thousand Birds is still being written and has already been implemented in 2020 by Lisbon – European Green Capital 2020, in the Municipality of Loulé in 2021 and in Bairro Padre Cruz in 2022. Its performative components have travelled to Paredes de Coura, Fundão, Santarém, Évora, Norway and Brazil. Online training also had an edition in Portugal and another in Brazil and the immersive training i.Lab Mil Pássaros has been held annually in Loulé since 2020. Mil Pássaros is also the basis of CMT’s participation in the SenseSquare project which is supported by the ERASMUS+ program.

 

Eyes on the future

The relationship with the Municipality of Vila Nova de Famalicão, which has existed since the beginning of the CMT, has allowed not only the regular prémiére of new creations on the stage of Casa das Artes, but also the realization of projects in the surroundings and in other spaces such as the Parque da Devesa. The following projects are under development:

Orizuro City (Working title) – 2023: The Cidade Orizuro installation that we will create at the Casa do Território in Parque da Devesa will make it possible to make tangible and sensorial a set of ideas that exist on a more abstract level or dispersed across various initiatives. It will be built from memories (sound and imagery) that will serve as a starting point for reflection and participation: a colorful and happy, green city, where all desires can gain wings.

NC23_Ornitopera (Working title)- 2023: In co-production with Casa das Artes and Teatro Aveirense, it is a show for babies in which Music is seen as a tool that promotes our relationship with others and with the fragile Planet we inhabit.

NC24_A Liberdade a passar por aqui (Working title)- 2024: In co-production with Casa das Artes and other partners to be confirmed. The exercise of revisiting melodies, rhythms, words, ideas and stories that are part of History, and that are in the memory of the elderly, and make them a multifaceted and free artistic experience, an environment of enjoyment and sharing for them and for the little ones this is the challenge posed by this co-production, which will involve other strategic partners aligned with the idea that it is essential to guarantee that freedom is passing through here.