Convento São Francisco
Opera
Mátria – Convento São Francisco, Coimbra
- Date
- Friday, 20 November 2026
- Time
- 21:00
- Venue
- Convento São Francisco
- Address
- Av. da Guarda Inglesa 1a, 3040-193 Coimbra, Portugal
- City
- Coimbra
- Organisation
- Teatro Nacional de São Carlos
About this event
Mátria is a contemporary Portuguese opera commissioned as part of the ‘Eu na ópera’ project, an initiative of Teatro Nacional de São Carlos (OPART) supported by a patronage protocol with Novo Banco. With the São Carlos theatre undergoing requalification through the 2026–2027 season, the production takes the opera house on the road with performances in Coimbra, Vila Real, and Braga. The opera features a libretto by Eduarda Freitas based on the writings of Miguel Torga and music by Fernando Lapa, who turns 75 in the season. Musical direction is by Portuguese-Polish conductor Jan Wierzba and stage direction by Ángel Fragua. The score is performed by the Orquestra Sinfónica Portuguesa, joined on stage by Moços do Coro and the Coro da Comunidade. Framed as outreach, the project aims to broaden national access to opera and spotlight the vitality of current Portuguese lyric creation.
Cast & creative
Rodrigo
Job Tomé
Lúcia
Ana dos Santos
Tio Raúl
Tiago MatosPadre Gusmão
Tiago Matos
Abel
Mário João Alves- P
Malaquias
Paulo Lapa - R
Filomena
Regina Freire - M
Criança
Madalena Tomé 
Conductor
Jan Wierzba- A
Stage director
Angel Basaldua Musical director
Jan Wierzba- Á
Stage director
Ángel Fragua Rodrigo
Job ToméLúcia
Ana dos SantosUncle Raúl / Father Gusmão
Tiago MatosAbel
Mário João Alves