Manuel de Arriaga Theatre 1Construction and inauguration
Manuel de Arriaga Theatre
Original title: Teatro Manuel de Arriaga
History and description of Funchal's municipal theatre, begun in 1884 and inaugurated in 1888, first named Teatro D. Maria Pia and renamed after Manuel de Arriaga in 1921. It lists the companies that performed there and its seating and rooms.
Abroad
1Construction and inauguration
It was the Municipal Council (Câmara Municipal), under the presidency of João Sauvaire da Câmara, that began building our theatre, and the foundation stone was laid on 24 October 1884. The designs, plans and estimates were drawn up by the Porto engineer F. Soler, and all the building work was carried out under the direction of the master builder Manuel Pereira, a native of the city of Porto. The painting, the decoration and a considerable part of the scenery are the work of the Portuguese artist Eugénio Cotrim (1849-1937) and of the Italian Luigi Manini, who was born and died in Lisbon. All the work was declared complete in July 1887, and on the 27th of that month these artists, at a fine celebration held in the new theatre, formally handed this playhouse over to the Council. Its formal inauguration took place on 11 March 1888.
Despite the construction defects that can be seen in it and other shortcomings that would have been easy to correct, it is without doubt an excellent playhouse, and one of the finest our country possesses. At the formal inauguration the zarzuela Las Dos Princesas was staged by the Spanish company of José Zamorano. Since then various Portuguese and foreign companies have performed there, the principal ones being:
- the zarzuela companies of José Zamorano, Ramon Novarro Frederico Reparaz, Pablo Lopez and Ramon Santiago
- the Italian opera company of maestro Patri
- the operetta companies of Sousa Bastos, Stichini, Santos Júnior and Paquita Calvo – Fróis
- the drama companies of Vitaliani Duse, Augusto Rosa, Joaquim de Almeida, Lucinda Simões, Taveira, Carlos de Oliveira, Ruas Ginásio and Ernesto do Vale
- the concert performers Gabriela Reusser, the Pignateli quartet, the Júdice Costa quintet, Viana da Mota and Moreira de Sá Brindis de Salas and the Bensaúde quartet
- and the conjurors and variety acts of J. C. Oliveira, the Companhia Russa, Francisco Franco, etc.
2Description and names
The Teatro Manuel de Arriaga (‘Manuel de Arriaga Theatre’) has 18 ground-floor boxes, 20 first-tier boxes, 21 second-tier boxes, 100 fauteuils, 160 seats and 200 places in the general gallery. The atrium is 34 metres long and 6 and a half wide, with 11 doors at the front and 2 on each side. On the upper floor there is a fine hall of the same dimensions with 15 windows. The theatre also has an excellent scene-painting room with a gallery running around it, from which there is a sweeping panorama.
Its first name was Teatro D. Maria Pia (‘Queen Maria Pia Theatre’), which the Municipal Council changed in November 1910 to Teatro Dr. Manuel de Arriaga (‘Dr Manuel de Arriaga Theatre’). However, this former deputy for Madeira flatly refused, in an official letter of 31 December, to allow his name to be given to the theatre. The Municipal Council therefore resolved, at its session of 12 January 1912, to name it Teatro Funchalense. On the death of Dr Manuel de Arriaga, whose name is bound up with the history of Madeira because of the way he championed the interests of this archipelago in parliament, the Council decided to perpetuate his name here in Madeira by calling our foremost theatre the Teatro Dr. Manuel de Arriaga (1921).
In this article
Time
Years mentioned · 06-
The foundation stone of the Funchal municipal theatre (later Teatro Manuel de Arriaga) was laid.
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The artists formally handed over the completed Funchal theatre (later Teatro Manuel de Arriaga) to the council.
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The Teatro D. Maria Pia (later Teatro Manuel de Arriaga) was solemnly inaugurated in Funchal with the zarzuela Las Dos Princesas.
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The council renamed Teatro D. Maria Pia as Teatro Dr. Manuel de Arriaga.
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After Manuel de Arriaga declined the honour, the Funchal council renamed the theatre Teatro Funchalense.
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After Manuel de Arriaga's death the Funchal theatre was again named Teatro Dr. Manuel de Arriaga.
Place
Places mentioned · 04- Teatro Manuel de Arriaga · Subject
Funchal
Funchal's municipal theatre, built with a loan by the council on the former convent grounds and the site of the 1823 market. Begun in 1884 and inaugurated in 1888 as Teatro D. Maria Pia, it was renamed after Manuel de Arriaga in 1921. It hosted revues such as A Madeira por dentro, lectures and concerts, including the 1921 orfeão.
- Lisbon
Portugal. Where Luigi Manini was born and died, according to the text.
The Portuguese capital, seat of the Relação court and of the Misericórdia whose privileges and statutes were extended to Funchal. Henrique Franco de Sousa studied at its Royal Academy of Fine Arts, and Luiz José Baiardo moved there in 1821.
- Porto
Portugal. Home city of the engineer and master builder.
A Portuguese city, where the 1820 liberal revolution began and whose district is the only one denser than Funchal's. Several Madeirans studied at its medical school or Academia Politécnica, and some lived or died there. The editor of O Funchalense Liberal was hanged there, and Marítimo beat FC Porto there in 1922.
- Teatro Municipal Baltazar Dias
Funchal. The theatre itself, first named after Queen Maria Pia.
The Teatro Municipal Baltazar Dias is a theatre in Funchal, built on part of the former Convento de São Francisco site and first named after Queen Maria Pia. Dr Manuel Passos de Freitas's orfeão performed there. During the quincentenary of the discovery, Guiomar Teixeira was staged there and the organising committee was appointed there.
People
People mentioned · 08- Eugénio Cotrim1849–1937
Portuguese artist who painted and decorated the theatre and much of its scenery.
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Engineer from Porto who drew up the theatre's plans and budgets.
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President of the Funchal municipal council that began building the theatre in 1884.
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Head of the Spanish zarzuela company that performed at the inauguration in 1888.
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Italian scenographer who shared the painting and decoration of the theatre.
- Manuel de Arriaga1841–1917
Former deputy for Madeira who defended the archipelago's interests in parliament and after whose death the theatre was named in 1921.
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Master builder from Porto who directed the construction works.
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Concert performer who appeared at the theatre.