José Afonso, live at the Coliseums, 1983
Gonçalo Amorim/Teatro Experimental do Porto
Inspired by José Afonso’s historic farewell concerts in 1983, this multidisciplinary show blends music, theatre and poetry to celebrate the legacy of one of the greats of Portuguese protest music. Under the artistic direction of Gonçalo Amorim, the play does not seek to be a historical re-enactment, but rather a contemporary reinvention within the aesthetic of Gig Theatre – a hybrid format that blends the energy of a live concert with theatrical storytelling.
The show takes Zeca’s symbolic farewell as its starting point to reflect on the end of an era and the transformation of the April utopia. Through original texts by authors such as Lígia Soares and Miguel Cardoso, it evokes the courage and melancholy of a country in transition. More than a tribute, it is an immersive experience that reinterprets José Afonso’s legacy with creative freedom, reaffirming the emotional and political resonance of his voice in today’s democracy. A tribute to the persistence of memory and the eternal echo of a seminal artist.
Directed by Gonçalo Amorim
Dramaturgical Coordination Rui Pina Coelho
Texts Lígia Soares, Marta Figueiredo, Miguel Cardoso, Rui Pina Coelho, Susana Moreira Marques
Performance Catarina Chora, Catarina Carvalho Gomes, Inês Salvado, Hugo Inácio
Band Mariana Leite Soares, Pedro João, Josué, Saulo Giovannini, Teresa Costa
Musical Direction Mariana Leite Soares, Pedro João
Set Design Catarina Barros
Costume Design Cátia Barros
Lighting Design Nuno Meira
Lighting Technician Renato Marinho
Sound Design Mariana Leite Soares
Sound Operation Miguel Serrão
Video José Freitas
Research Support João Carlos Callixto, Pedro Afonso, Zélia Afonso
Presentation Partner in Braga Alberto Sampaio School Group
Co-production Porto Municipal Theatre, Porto Experimental Theatre, Caixa Geral de Depósitos Foundation – Culturgest, Galician Drama Centre, CineTeatro Louletano
Support Portuguese Cultural Centre in Vigo | Camões – Institute for Cooperation and the Portuguese Language, I.P. – Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Portugal
Duration 180 minutes, including an interval
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Supported by the Portuguese Republic – Culture, Youth and Sport / Directorate-General for the Arts / Portuguese Network of Theatres and Cinemas (RTCP) | BPI Fundação ‘La caixa’
This performance features audio description and interpretation in Portuguese Sign Language
José Afonso, live at the Coliseums, 1983 – Gonçalo Amorim/Porto Experimental Theatre
Gonçalo Amorim/Teatro Experimental do Porto
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