Tomorrow, 15 January, the 400th anniversary of the birth of Molière, French playwright, as well as actor and director, considered to be one of the masters of satirical comedy, will be celebrated. For this purpose, France is mobilised to mark the event worldwide, and in Portugal, Vila Nova de Famalicão is the centre of these celebrations, with the organisation of the Theatre Festival "400 years of Molière's birth", an initiative that will take place from 5 to 7 May 2022.
The project, which is being prepared since September 2021, started with a training action, in the Casa do Território, which will last throughout 2022, addressed to French teachers and taught by the trainer Jan Nowak ("Drameducation - device 10 sur 10"). In this action, about twenty primary school teachers from educational institutions in the North region are being prepared, who will stage with their 3rd cycle students one of Molière's plays, in French, for the Theatre Festival.
Besides the Elementary Schools, the students of the Theatre Course of the ACE Famalicão are also mobilized for these celebrations, and will present a performance based on a Molière's play, on the 5th and 6th of May, in the Casa das Artes of Vila Nova de Famalicão. These same students will have the opportunity to participate, previously, in a masterclass with an actor from the Comédie Française.
On May 7, at Narciso Ferreira Theatre, with the presence of the school community, the representation in French, by the students of the 3rd cycle, of the plays selected in the scope of the training action, and where the jury of the festival will elect the three best representations. On that same day, at night, the closing of the initiative will take place at Casa das Artes de Famalicão, with a solo performance by a Comédie Française actor, followed by the awarding of prizes to the winning classes, in a ceremony with diplomatic representation and the presence of the partners involved.
The commemorations of the 400th anniversary of the birth of Molière in Portugal are an initiative that involves the municipality of Vila Nova de Famalicão, the French Institute of Portugal/Embassy of France in Portugal, the Alliance Française of Guimarães-Braga, E. Leclerc Famalicão (Culturissimo France), ACE Famalicão - Arts School, APPF - Portuguese Association of French Teachers, "Drameducation - device 10 sur 10", the Group of Schools D. Sancho I, the Group of Schools Padre Benjamim Salgado and the Group of Schools of Gondifelos.
It should be noted that, in parallel to this initiative, with the purpose of promoting the internationalisation of Portuguese arts and culture, through the promotion of the presence of international projects in national territory, Casa das Artes de Famalicão joins the "France-Portugal 2022 Cross Season", project developed by both countries between February and October of this year.
This way, Casa das Artes de Famalicão will promote two national premieres in the area of contemporary dance, both in co-production with the National Choreographic Centre Malandain Ballet Biarritz: "The Sleeping Beauty" by Fábio Lopez from Cie. Illicite - Bayonne and INTRANZYT Cia.® on February 4 and 5; and "Triplo" by Kale Dance Company on March 18, with choreographies by Daniela Cruz (PT), Hamid Bem Mahi (FR) and Igor Calonge (ES).
The Portugal-France Season 2022 is organised in Portugal by Camões, Institute for Cooperation and Language, I.P. - Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and by the Office for Cultural Strategy, Planning and Evaluation (GEPAC) - Ministry of Culture, with the support of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers and the Embassy of Portugal in France.