This show starts from a fictional story from an article on The Public newspaper of July 17, 2017 signed by São José Almeida, “The New State said there were no homosexuals, but persecuted them” – where it addresses the “history” of the dancer Valentim de Barros. The only similarity between Mario and Valentim de Barros is that they were both dancers and admitted at Miguel Bombarda Hospital to “heal homosexuality”, but their life paths were very different. ” – Fernando Heitor
Who was Valentim Barros?
Born in 1916, Valentim de Barros began learning to dance at the age of 14. He painted and even took dance lessons with Professor Ruth Aswin at the Teatro Nacional D. Maria II, hiding from his family. At the age of 20, he fled to Spain. Then he went to Berlin and later to Stuttgart, where he joined the Opera House. He returned to Lisbon during the Second World War, expelled from Germany for unknown reasons.
His records with the State Security and Surveillance Police dates back to 1939. Valetim was 22 years old. He was admitted for the first time to the Hospital Miguel Bombarda. “Female manners, mellifluous, dengosic ways that denounce his sexual inversion. Perfectly calm, natural mood. Replies are adapted, long, detailed, voice measured in a feminin tone” – thus determined the first examination in that institution.
Text and Staging Fernando Heitor
Musical Direction João Paulo Soares
Light Drawing José Álvaro Correia
Choreographic Support Carlos Prado
Rating: +16 years
Ticket: 6 €
