ACERT Theater Celebrates 50th Anniversary with Global Tour
The Tondela Cultural and Recreational Association (ACERT) is marking its 50th anniversary by taking its storytelling traditions across the globe. As part of its milestone celebrations, the acclaimed Trigo Limpo Teatro ACERT company will embark on international tours to Macau and Guinea-Bissau this October and November.
The company will showcase two of its most iconic productions, O Bosque (The Forest) and Queres que eu te conte (Do you want me to tell you). These plays were selected for their portability and their deep connection to Portuguese heritage. “It is important for us to share these stories, which carry the memory of Tondela and our national identity,” actress Ilda Teixeira said during the unveiling of the season’s final programming.
Connecting Through Culture
From October 12 to 25, the troupe will be in Macau, performing at the Macau Cultural Center and various schools, including the Portuguese School. The visit will go beyond the stage, featuring workshops, musical training sessions, and collaborative meetings with local artistic groups.
In late November, the spotlight shifts to Guinea-Bissau. ACERT will participate in the “Djintis” theater festival, organized by Ur-GENTE, a transdisciplinary arts training center in Bissau. This collaboration aims to support emerging talent in the region. “They are a very new group, eager for training and to learn from the experiences of international companies,” Teixeira noted. The partnership is set to deepen, with plans already underway for a co-production in 2030 that will bring Bissau-Guinean actors to Tondela.
A Packed Season at Home
While ACERT expands its international footprint—adding to a history of performances in countries like Brazil, Angola, and Germany—its home base in Tondela remains a hub of activity. The association has scheduled a diverse lineup of 12 theater, music, circus, and cinema events through the end of the year, alongside the ACERT International Theater Festival (FINTA), which will host 17 performances from five different countries.
The domestic celebrations kick off this Friday with the premiere of Voar no tempo (Flying through time) at the Tondela Industrial and Commercial Fair (FICTON). This large-scale musical theater production is a collaboration with the Spanish-Argentine company Voalá and the Smooth Orchestra.
Artistic director José Rui Martins described the show as a “labor of love for the land,” featuring aerial ballet, pyrotechnics, and a massive local ensemble including the Tondelense Philharmonic, the Dão Music and Arts Conservatory, and the Polyphonic Choir of the Casa do Povo. “It is a show built on local anxieties and a great love for our ground,” Martins said.
Other highlights through December include the baby opera A Casinha de Chocolate (The Gingerbread House), the cafe-concert Livre|Mente by Ariana Neves, and experimental works like Hugo Torres’ Black Box — A Family Saga.
Image: Pexels – Suvajit Biswas
