The National Palace of Mafra - The Infirmary Pharmacy; the Infirmary wards and the Infirmary kitchen - The 7th of August 2016

(...)

I then headed towards the Infirmary pharmacy and the Infirmary wards divided in three categories, the one for the convalescent, another one for the novices and finally the one that impressed most - the Infirmary for the gravelly ill.

Prior to walking into the Pharmaceutical area which is said to have been a veritable laboratory for the preparation of medicines made from herbs and roots gathered in the surrounding areas. I briefly strolled along the nurses' cells. 

The Infimary for the gravely ill is divided into sixteen alcoves each of which with its own bed. Above each bed one could see a tiled panel depicting the Cruxification of Christ. All the beds were turned to face the altar so taht patients could attend mass. Above the altar there is a painting Our Lady of Conception.

I finished visiting this series of galleries by having walked into the Infirmary's kitchen, where the meals are said to have been prepared for the nurses and patiens as in accordance with the prescription by the physician. 

(To be continued)

The National Palace of Mafra - Around the external facade and in the Museum of religious artefacts - The 7th of August 2016

"Let the King promise God that he will build a Monastery in the village of Mafra and God will soon give him a sucessor" - These were the words pronounced by Brother Antonio de São José, a Franciscan Friar to the Royal Chaplain, Bishop Nuno da Cunha whom King João V had asked to interced on his behalf in 1711 not having had any heirs despite having been married to Queen Maria Ana of Austria for three years.

Curiosity led me to visit the Monastery, whose initial plan was for 13 friars, having been later expanded to 40, 80 and finally 300 friars with a Royal Palace and a Basilica.

Having arrived half an hour earlier I decided to walk around it trying to envisage the amount of work it took and the expense involved in such an "adventure", whose construction was initiated in 1717 and was considered complete in 1735, although work is said to have continued on certain individual elements until close to the King's death. 

Following Junot's invasion of Lisbon the invading troops made their headquarters in the building in 1807, having been replaced by a small English contingent in 1808. With the outbreak of the Liberal Wars the Palace is said to have been almost abandoned until Queen Maria II resumed the habit of coming back to Mafra from 1819 through to 1853.

The proclamation of the Republic turned the Palace ensemble into a Museum, which has been opened to the public since 1911.

I soon found out the visit would be free because of it being the first Sunday of the month. I started it on the first floor where I walked in two rooms with religious artefacts, most of which from Italy. Among the chalices, censers, reliquaries and patens I came across a sculptural group representing the Holy martyrs of Morocco and a few interesting wooden polychrome sculptures.

(To be continued)

A rather interesting and reflective documentary ...

I was supposed to have seen another film, which unfortunately wasn't being exhibited in Lisbon as I had believed I ended up therefore selecting another one - Francofonia by Aleksandr Sokurov at the last moment and I am glad I did because it was interesting and above all reflective. 

The importance of Art and relationships that are "constructive" irrespective of the sides people happen to find themselves at - Jaujard, the Louvre director during the second World War and the German officer Metternich who was assigned  to have some of Louvre's works of Art transferred to Germany territory, are at the heart of the documentary film. 

" (...) if viewers think of the film as a freewheeling poetic essay, highly personal yet captivating. The pic's core (or perhaps merely the hook?) is the relationship between Jaujard and Wolf Metternich, vanquished and conqueror and how both men were intent on protecting the Louvre's treasures."

La leçon by Eugène Ionesco at Meridional Theatre, Lisbon - The 31st of July 2016

I must confess I had no idea what to expect as I ventured into Teatro Meridional on the last  performing day of Eugène Ionesco's La leçon, though every single time I have been to Meridional I have not been disappointed and regarding some performing acts my expectations exceeded.

 

 

Undeniably well performed, I can nevertheless say that I wasn't taken by it though I feel my perspective regarding teaching played a distinct role in my overall opinion.
















 "La leçon is about the fragile and perverse relation between knowledge and power and the ephemeral power of the knowledge; the supposedly absolute knowledge that suffocates free thinking;  education and the weight of the formated-type of teaching and its incongruencies; the weakenesses regarding communication and how a dialogue can turn into a series of monologues." in the words of Rui de Freitas (free translation from the Portuguese) does define what the core of the play is about.



I can't help but highly praise the stage and light setting designers for having created an exquisite and adequate atmosphere for such a "complex" performance which has been sold out (almost) everyday.






Adapted version of Eugène Ionesco's play - Ernesto Sampaio (final version for this performance - Miguel Seabra and Natália Luiza).
Metteur en scène - Miguel Seabra.
Actors - Sara Barros Leitão, Miguel Seabra and Elsa Galvão.
Stage setting and costume design - Marta Carreira.
Light setting design - Rui Rebelo.











 

... and I am feeling good ...

... A new life  awaits these recently accredited ATCO's and regardless of the non- associated connotations to Nina Simone's song ... I feel like singing I'm feeling good ...

These young men and lady (in the above picture with two other ATCOs) have made it through the long Air Traffic Control course and will soon be placed in the Azores and Madeira islands. As one of the many teachers who have contributed towards the positive outcome ... I feel proud and more so because with one exception they have been awarded the highest level in the official European Aviation English testing ...

I am sure they are feeling as good as I am ...
May they continue to feel so, as well as committed, in the carrying out of their careers ...

 

 

 

 

 

An unexpected surprise ...

 

What an unexpected surprise I had as I was looking for material for my classes and came across a DVD I had bought last year on the animated short films presented during the Monstra festival but hadn't yet had the chance to watch.

 

 

Among those several short films my attention was drawn to three for completely different reasons - Father and Daughter by Michael Dudok de Wit, having been a 2000 Academy awarded film is a rather sad yet particularly meaningful film that highlights the existing bond between a daughter and the estranged father, whose "image" she pursues an entire lifetime.

The animated adaption of one of Bukowski's poems The man with the beautiful eyes by Jonathan Hodgson is thought-provoking and therefore quite powerful.

The tramvaj  by Michaela Pavlátová despite being a rather sex oriented burlesque-type of film that may shock viewers did bring about several considerations as to certain routine types of work one has to daily face and what goes (may go on) people's minds throughout the process of carrying them out.

Retouches by Georges Schwizegebed, Eiltänzer by Raimund Krumme and Vicenta by Sam were equally interesting.