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British Council Portugal
Libretto for "Som da Rua" MiniOpera
The libretto for "Ópera Sons da Rua".
More information below.
Arts
English National Opera: MiniOperas
Inspiring people to make opera.

In June, in Porto, the English National Opera (ENO) led an innovative project to discover new talent. The idea was to create 5-minute operas, and the contestants went through three phases: script-writing, musical composition and filming.

The Casa da Música partnered the ENO in a workshop, which included the participation of musicians from the Homeless Orchestra and the Casa da Música's own digital music spcialists. The result was "Ópera Sons da Rua", by Som da Rua and the Digitopia Collective, which was entered in the international competition, with participants from Portugal, Italy and the UK, partnered by the British Council.

Listen to the Soundtrack on the ENO site
Have a glimpse: Som da Rua (YouTube, 2 mins)
See the Libretto above.
Watch coverage of the workshop from RTP1 (right-click and choose open in new window).
Find out more about the ENO's Mini-operas

Arts

Home > Arts

The British Council’s global arts team works with the best of British creative talent to develop innovative, high-quality events and collaborations that link thousands of artists and cultural institutions around the world, drawing them into a closer relationship with the UK.

Agenda: our events
Visit Agenda to see our current activities and recent events.

Some of our current projects and programmes in the Arts

Edinburgh World Writers' Conference 2012-2013
Presented by the Edinburgh International Book Festival and the British Council.

The Conference is a unique series of events that will bring writers together around the world to create an historic picture of the role of literature today.

The conversation begans at the Edinburgh International Book Festival where 50 world renowned writers gathered to discuss the five topics that almost brought writers to blows during the infamous Writers’ Conference of 1962.

The World Writers’ Conference will go on to visit 15 different cities over the next year giving writers in different countries the chance to add their voice to the growing debate.

To get a flavour of Edinburgh and a glimpse of the Conference, watch this RTP report.

BritLit
This project uses contemporary British literature as a language learning tool. Teachers have access to classroom materials, worksheets and projects and are offered the opportunity to work with contemporary British authors and poets.

In the Arts Archive

FASHION

Guimarães Fashion Hub, in partnership with the British Council
As part of the Fashion HUB Platform Moda Guimarães 2012, the winner of the British Council’s Young Creative Fashion Entrepreneur Award, João Pedro Filipe, went on a visit to the UK, in September 2012, where he did some valuable networking both with peers and also key UK fashion sector partners.


Fash/on Film
Alfândaga Porto, Lisbon MUDE - 26/28 September 28, 2012
Kathryn Ferguson, director and curator, has been working with the British Council and The British Fashion Council as a curator specialising in the emerging genre of fashion film. She is part of a panel creating the new seasonal film festival called Fash/on Film, which this year will take place at Somerset House in conjunction with London Fashion Week. She presented her work in Porto and Lisbon.

ARCHTECTURE
Open house
Lisbon, 07 October, 2012
'Open House' is a simple but powerful concept: showcasing outstanding architecture for all to experience, completely for free. Open House initiatives invite everyone to take notice of, and enjoy, their local buildings. This was the first year that Lisbon joined in, and around 70 selected buildings of architectural interest, ranging from individual houses to real national treasures, disclosed their delights to the general public, including the British Council's "Palácio do Menino de Ouro".

SPORT AND ARTS
London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Summer 2012
The British Council’s global programme for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games aims to involve people around the world in the educational and cultural aspects of the Games

LITERATURE
Dickens 2012
Worldwide
The British Council is working with over 50 countries worldwide to coordinate an exciting range of educational and cultural events celebrating the bicentenary of the UK's most prolific and influential novelists: Charles Dickens.
Film London | Dickens Museum | British Council literature

ART
My Choice - Paula Rego
Lisbon, Porto, Coimbra, Feburary 2011 - February 2012
This intriguing exhibition was selected by Dame Paula Rego from the British Council Collection of 20th and 21st century British art. You can see the collection online, watch videos about her election and work, and see work by our English language student competition winners.

THEATRE
Forest Fringe
Culturgest, February 2012

Forest Fringe is an performer-managed non.profit organisation founded in 2007. Half a decade later, the venue has become renowned as a space for experimentation, generosity and communitarian adventure, presenting work that is meaningful, moving and politically relevant. The venue has won numerous awards for its unusual and adventurous programme: exciting theatrical experiments and ambitious projects that are often not yet finished.

MÚSICA
Thomas Adès
Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian, January 2012
Multi-talented composer, pianist and conductor Thomas Adès has established himself as one of the most celebrated English composers of our day. Writing about Adès, the critic Andrew Porter has said "There's been nobody like him since Benjamin Britten."

DESIGN
ExperimentaDesign'11
EXD’11 launched in September 2011. The latest theme was "Useless" , raising questions about and reflection on the value and worth of use and its absence.
Richard Wentworth exhibition at the Museu de Farmácia
http://www.experimentadesign.com/2011/en/08-01-00.html

ExperimentaDesign'11
1º Creative Economy Symposium -  Sir John Sorrell - October 2011

Sir John Sorrell, UK Creative Industries Ambassador, will be in Lisbon to participate in the symposium as a speaker in two debates: "A Era da Creatividade" e "Criatividade e Educação”.
Organised by ExperimentaDesign, British Embassy/UKTI, and the British Council.
More information/Programme (pdf, 857k, opens in new window)

MUSIC
Paul Griffiths and Orquestra Geração, CCB in Lisbon
October 2011
Projecto Nómadas (UK/Portugal)
http://www.betweenthenotes.co.uk/html/pg_biog.asp
http://www.ccb.pt/sites/ccb/en-EN/MaisNovosFamilia/Espectaculos/Pages/FBBProjectNomads.aspx?month=10

FASHION
Jianhui Yan, a British designer, was invited by the British Council and British Embassy/UKTI Portugal to show his "Next Pashmina" at ModaLisboa Fashion Week, October 2011.
See our interview with Jianhui Yan on YouTube (new window)
http://www.jianhui.co.uk/category/events/

ART, CLIMATE CHANGE AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
TTT Transforma Think Tank; Transforma Lab

May/June/July 2011
What's the role of artistic and creative production in the fields of competitive development, sustainable cities, leadership or and the creative economy? Academics, politicians, representatives of the media and other professionals joined the debate led by Transforma Think Tank, in association with the British Council.
The British Council is a partner of Maria Matos Theatre in
The Two Degrees Conference: Art, Climate Change and Sustainable Development
May 2011- Maria Matos Theatre
www.teatromariamatos.pt/pt/prog/conversas/2010-2011/doisgraus

FILME
IndieLisboa
IndieLisboa was a chance to encounter the most recent and interesting works of independent cinema from all over the world. The main aim of this Festival is to discover new films and new directors in the universe of independent cinema. By focussing on authorial creativity and independence, IndieLisboa has become the most important Portuguese Film festival.

ARCHITECTURE
Trienal de Arquitectura de Lisboa
The Lisbon Architecture Triennale — the most significant architectural event in the Iberian Peninsula — had its second edition. The British Council partnered with the Trienal de Arquitectura de Lisboa to bring the work of Alison and Peter Smithson to Lisbon.

CULTURAL LEADERSHIP
Cultural Leadership International (CLI)
The project is developing a new generation of cultural leaders. They will use skills and experience gained on the programme to better lead their organisations and inspire an open, tolerant and integrated society.

CLI will cultivate and support international partnerships and collaborations using UK cultural leadership expertise. The project will also generate opportunities for the international exchange of knowledge, experiences and ideas, and support people in fulfilling their potential and realising their aspirations.

DESIGN
British Council contribution to ExperimentaDesign09
The British contribution to Timeless explored and expressed the idea of ‘place’ within ‘time’ through a series of commissions that were specific responses to Lisbon; its resources, identity and location.

CLIMATE
Climate Change
Through strengthening networks and relationships among people, we are increasing understanding of the case for tackling climate change and championing implementation of international agreements that address the threats of climate change.

isabel.lopes@pt.britishcouncil.org
T 213 214 514

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