Esperança Society
Original title: Sociedade Esperança
Private theatrical society founded in Funchal in 1858 to stage performances for its members' families and acquaintances.
Its purpose was to establish a theatre in Funchal for the private entertainment of the members’ families and their acquaintances. Under the statutes it had 40 members, and could also have up to 5 honorary members. Ordinary members paid an entrance fee of 10,000 réis (old Portuguese money of account; 1$000 = 1,000 réis, 1:000$000 = one conto = 1,000,000 réis) and a monthly subscription of 200 réis; honorary members paid the same monthly subscription but were exempt from the entrance fee.
The Esperança Society (Sociedade Esperança), constituted in 1858 with only 18 members at first, approved its statutes on 15 February 1860. They were signed by the interim directors Francisco Leandro Severim, João Maria da Silva Carvalho, Luís Alvares da Silva, Pedro Augusto da Silva Carvalho and João Alexandre de Carvalho. The decree approving these statutes is dated 10 May of the same year.
According to O Direito of 4 December 1858, the statutes were drafted by the member Nuno Dias de Vasconcelos. The founding members of the society also included Julio Galhardo de Freitas, who had already acted at the Teatro Concórdia, and Pedro de Alcantara Góis, who had made his debut in a performance staged at the Lancasterian School (Escola Lancasteriana). See Theatres.
In this article
Time
Years mentioned · 02-
The Sociedade Esperança was constituted in Funchal with 18 members to stage plays and build a small theatre.
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The newspaper O Direito reported on the statutes and founders of the Sociedade Esperança.
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The Sociedade Esperança approved its statutes, which were confirmed by government decree on 10 May 1860.
Place
Places mentioned · 03
- Funchal
City where the society aimed to establish its theatre.
The capital of the archipelago and seat of the principal captaincy, where settlement began; it was made a vila c.1451–52. Its bay, the widest in the archipelago, lies between Ponta do Garajau and Ponta da Cruz and offers sheltered anchorage, though its harbour had never been studied oceanographically. The Elucidário discusses it as a health resort with climate data and records the January 1906 disturbances, the Danish prince's visit in May 1846 and recent volcanic cones in the area.
- Lancasterian School
Funchal. School where Pedro de Alcântara Góis made his debut.
The Escola Lancasteriana was a school in Funchal that was sometimes used for concerts and plays. Pedro de Alcântara Góis made his debut there.
- Teatro Concórdia
Funchal. Theatre where founding member Júlio Galhardo de Freitas had performed.
The Teatro Concórdia was a theatre in Funchal where Sérvulo de Paula Medina e Vasconcelos's drama Amor e Pátria was staged in 1844. Júlio Galhardo de Freitas, a founding member of the Sociedade Esperança, had also performed there.
People
People mentioned · 08-
Interim director who signed the Sociedade Esperança statutes in 1860.
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Interim director who signed the Sociedade Esperança statutes in 1860.
- João da Silva Carvalho1821–1903
Interim director who signed the Sociedade Esperança statutes in 1860.
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Founding member who had already acted at the Teatro Concórdia.
- Luiz Alvares da Silvad. 1912
Interim director who signed the Sociedade Esperança statutes in 1860.
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Member who drafted the Sociedade Esperança statutes, according to O Direito.
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Interim director who signed the Sociedade Esperança statutes in 1860.
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Founding member who made his stage debut at the Escola Lancasteriana.