The theatre is not dead – at least not the Teatro São Luiz. Built for royalty to enjoy, it endured through the end of the monarchy and still welcomed the best performers of the early 20th century. It was rebuilt after a destructive fire and later converted to a cinema.
Finally, it was revived again to host diverse theatrical and music shows. During our 90-minute backstage tour we learned all about its survival and secrets while practicing our Portuguese as well.
Originally designed in the late 19th century, the gilded main theatre now holds nearly 700 people. The royal court once used the first balcony. Now there is quite a bit of protocol to consider when politicians occupy the theatre balcony; they sit aptly to the left and right according to their parties.
A vision of heavenly delight in theatre and music revives 17th century precedents on the hall’s ceiling, complemented by a more contemporary chandelier.
The staircase to the upper boxes gleams with a charming fresco that nods to the theatre’s origin in Parisian style.
The charming upper hall outside the first balcony boxes. The theatre discreetly faces a modest street in the Chiado district while to the back sits its grander cousin, the opera house.
In the last few decades, the theatre has added new spaces including a black box theatre and this open space at the same level of the first balcony. It was designed to emulate a 100-year old winter garden or arboretum, with overarching steel frame and huge windows plus a painting showing palms growing behind the classical statue.
After descending three floors below the stage, we climbed eight floors up from there to find the three gigantic film projectors from the 1930s still staring at the main hall stage. They are so heavy and bulky that they cannot be removed without quite a bit of damage. So here they sit.
The main hall from nearly ceiling level. Those single seats tucked into the second level are not sold in advance but held at the box office for ticket buyers who are willing to sit at an awkward angle toward the stage. Tucked under the ceiling fresco is a quote from the 16th century Portuguese poet Camões: ”I did more than you know.”
(To enlarge any picture above, click on it. Also, for more pictures from Portugal, CLICK HERE to view the slideshow at the end of the itinerary page.)
