Congress on Popular Arts in Gouveia, with tributes and debates

O International Popular Arts and Imaginary Congress will take place in Gouveia, from 23 to 25 October, to discuss “the impact of animated forms such as heads, puppets, gigantones, masks and rituals”, in social, cultural, educational and tourist contexts.

“ The event is assumed as a central space for debate and scientific sharing on the relevance of traditional popular demonstrations, analyzing its impact and direct contribution in the social, educational and tourism dynamization sectors ", the promoters advance in a statement sent to Lusa agency.

The organization is the Intervention – Association for Cultural Promotion and Disclosure and the Institute of Gouveia – Professional School, with the support of the Chamber of Gouveia, Tourism of Portugal, Inatel Foundation and IPDJ.

For three days, the congress will meet at the Teatro Cine de Gouveia researchers, artists and professionals from Portugal, Brazil, Italy, Spain and Nicaragua for conferences, shows and workshops.

The objective is to promote “the reflection, the sharing of knowledge and the appreciation of these artistic and cultural expressions of immaterial heritage”.

The convention will open on the 23rd (09:15) with the show of puppets “Tourada”, S.A. Marionetas, from the classic repertoire of the robertos theater.

After the opening session (09:45), the director, teacher, dancer and puppetist Isabel Barros will talk about “The timelessness of puppets” (10:15).

Starting at 11:15, the Cine de Gouveia Theatre will be the scene of tributes to “the men and women who have marked the history of animated forms in the last 50 years”.

According to the organization, the Galician actor Eduardo Rodríguez Cunha/Tatán will be evoked, the Portuguese adherent and puppeteer Ildeberto Gama, the director, dancer and puppeteer Isabel Barros and the actor, Portuguese director and trainer José Dantas Lima Pereira.

José Ramalho (actor, director and puppeteer), José Gil (stager and builder of puppets), Manuel Dias (marionetista), Maurício Rebocho (artistic director of the Maurionet Company) and Chilean Roberto Merino (actor of the Theatre of Marionetas do Porto) will be others of the distinguished.

The International Congress of Arts and Imaginary Popular will also honor Rui Sousa (Marionist), Victor Assis (teacher and collector of puppets) and the Alentejo Dolls of Santo Aleixo.

In the session, the researcher, director and actor Alexandre Passos, the traveling puppet artist António Dias, actor Francisco Esteves and the creator and puppet artist Mestre Filipe will be remembered.

Delfim Miranda, creator of puppets and storyteller, João Paulo Seara Cardoso, founder of the Teatro de Marionetas do Porto, and Mestre Talhinhas, the last guardian of the Dolls of Santo Aleixo, complete the list of personalities to remember in Gouveia, in the Guard district.

The first day will be complete with a conference by Victor Ventosa, professor of the Pontifical University of Salamanca (Spain), and the show “Bonecos de Santo Aleixo” by the Dramatic Center of Évora (21:30).

On October 24, the thematic panels on “Parateatrality, rituals, masks, literature, play and drama” and “Fantoches, puppets, heads, tourism and other animated forms” will be held, as well as “workshops”.

At 19:00, the artist Conceição Rosiére will address the theme “The Lambe-Lambe Theatre” and at 21:30 the stage will be of the Spanish company Tanxarina Títeres with the play “Titiricircas”.

The International Popular Arts and Imaginary Congress will end on October 25, with the show “Bzzzoira Moira”, the company Teatro and Marionetas de Mandragora (14:15), and a conference by Manuel Francisco Vieites, retired professor at the University of Vigo and the School of Dramatic Art of Galicia, among other activities.