LISBON
- Culture :
The charm of the
Portuguese capital resides in its strong links to the past;
restored palaces, majestic churches and an imposing hilltop
castle reflect the city's rich cultural heritage.
The cultural scene
in Lisbon today is a vibrant collage of old and new as the ghosts
of Lisbon's grand past echo evocatively around today's venues.
Lisbon offers a formidable number of venues and companies
can often be found performing in such varied sites as outdoor
parks and national palaces.
Event tickets can
be purchased at the Agência de Billetes para Espectáculos
Públicos (commonly referred to as ABEP), there is a kiosk
in the southeast corner of Praça dos Restauradores.
Music : The Orquestra Sinfónica
Portuguesa (Portuguese Symphony Orchestra) is now based
at the Teatro Camões at the former Expo98 site in the Parque
das Nações. The Gulbenkian Orchestra and Gulbenkian Choir
are among those whose concerts are held at one of the concert
halls and open-air amphitheatre of the Fundação Calouste
Gulbenkian, Avenida de Berna 45A, adjacent to the museum.
The Teatro Nacional de São Carlos, Rua Serpa Pinto 9, is
where opera productions are staged during the September
to June season. Classical concerts are also held here.
Other classical
music ensembles include the Sinfonietta de Lisboa and the
Orquestra Metropolitana de Lisboa. Major venues include
the Coliseu dos Recreios, Rua das Portas Santo Antão 92),
and Teatro Municipal São Luís, Rua António Maria Cardoso
40
Theatre :Among Lisbon's
attractive theatres, the Teatro Nacional de Dona Maria II,
at the top of the Praça de Dom Pedro IV (Rossio), is the
most striking. Theatre and opera productions are also hosted
in the Pequeno and Grande Auditório (Small and Large Auditoria)
of the Centro Cultural de Belém on the Praça do Império.
Dance :The Companhia Nacional
de Bailado (Portuguese National Ballet) is based at the
Teatro Camões in the Parque das Nações. Other venues that
host dance performances are the Centro Cultural de Belém
and the Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian.
Film :The world's oldest
taxi driver and his 1928 Oldsmobile are the stars of the
film Lisboa Taxi, which premiered in January 1997. Films
are almost always shown in the original language, with subtitles
in Portuguese. For English-language films, the best bets
are the multiplexes in the larger shopping centres. The
Diário de Notícias newspaper has film listings. There is
a drive-in theatre at the north end of Parque das Nações.
Cultural events :Since the sixteenth
century, a procession of violet-covered litters has passed
through the Graça district on the second Sunday of Lent
in honour of Senhor dos Passos. The month of June sees some
of Lisbon's most popular festivals, honouring a number of
saints with parades and parties. Similar processions take
place on saints days in many of the surrounding villages.
Lisbon Zoo
Earthquake 1755 |
