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Ago 01
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Three more D Maria II productions at the Funchal theatre

By Nearby, Our Islands 2.820 Comments

 

The next season of the Funchal theatre already has a set opening date. This is to be September 8th, once again counting with the Teatro Nacional shows brought to Madeira as part of the EUNICE network, bringing together the Teatro nacional D Maria II and Teatro Municipal Baltazar Dias.

The selection of the Funchal theatre to be one of the three theatres in Portugal to be part of the EUNICE network was made through a public bid and was, according to Funchal mayor Paulo Cafofo, “directly related to everything that has been made to revitalize the Theatre through these four years, both in terms of infrastructure and, obviously, the choices for the agenda”.

The Theatre beat “in 2016, it’s record of spectators, with 48 thousand attending one of the events hosted in the most iconic show room in the island, which means 25 percent more than in the previous year, and places the occupation rate above the national average”.

Confirmed are Lear (January), Sweet Home Europa (May) and Montanha Russa (Rollercoaster) (June), brought to Funchal by the Teatro Nacional D Maria II, to which various novelties will be added, just like in previous years, said Paulo Cafofo.

Ago 01
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NRP Douro arrives next week

By Nearby, Our Islands 4.470 Comments

The newest ship in the Portuguese Navy, NRP Douro, is set to arrive next week in Funchal for the first time.

Commanded by First Lieutenant Vacas de Carvalho, it’s a twin to NRP Tejo, which we have seen in the seas of the archipelago in previous months, and is to be presented  coming July 12th in the Douyro river, from which it is actually set to travel to Madeira.

Once part of the Madeira command, NRP Douro – carrying pennant number P591 – will be fulfilling missions in such diverse areas as search and rescue, fisheries control, and support of park rangers, both in Desertas and the Selvagens, as well as to the maritime police contingent based in the Selvagens for the last year.

During the summer months it is normal the the new patrol “boat” will generate some curiosity amongst ship lovers, since it is the newest ship in the navy active list, after having been acquired from the Danish navy.

Part of Stanflex 300 class, this coastal patrol has range for seven days, and has a crew of four officers, four NCOs and 16 enlisted men, a total of 24 crew, nine less than the Cacine class they replace.

From next week we will have the opportunity to see the second ship of the class to enter the Portuguese navy.

Jul 26
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Funchal with wifi coverage

By Nearby, Our Islands 3.547 Comments

This was one of the winning projects of the 2016-2017 Orçamento Participativo (Cooperative Budget). Funchal will be fully covered by a wifi network, a 30 thousand euro investment, thus connecting the whole city to the internet.

The projects were identified this morning, at the Funchal council, with mayor Paulo Cafofo highlighting the ones chosen in this edition of the Cooperative Budget.

The projects chosen went from the covering and maintenance of sports infrastructures, to the maintenance of boy scouts’ bases, to the wifi coverage of the city and the adapting of infrastructures for social uses.

Jul 26
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Silence, fado is about to start

By Nearby 2.537 Comments

The civil parish of São Martinho is again, this Saturday evening, getting fado.

For those who like, this is a good reason to get there early, before 20h00, because silence is being enforced.

But the night will start with something different, the always appreciated performance of “Os Macetitas”, the house entertainers – or, rather, Sociohabita Funchal’s. This group plays with different instruments to the ones we are used to, like drums and bagpipes.

After that, it will be fado under the full moon, with Luis Filipe Costa Neves, Antonio Macedo, Jorge Marques de Freitas, Carlos Bettencourt, Agostinho Figueira, Pedro Martins and Jaime Camacho, in the well known Grupo Madeirense de Fados de Coimbra.

But the night’s party will go on. This is when it really starts warming up, for those in which fado flows though the veins, and like to sing the “destino” (fate) accompanied by the guitar. At 21h30 there’s the 4th Grande Noite do Fado (4th Great Fado Evening). Basically dedicated to amateur fado, it gathers – under Susana Andrade – some thirty fado singers, with ages between 14 and 77, all promising to show what they are worth, in a lively and relaxed environment.

Accompanying the voices, instruments: Cesar Abrantes (Portuguese guitar), Susana Brantes (guitar) and Duarte Silva (acoustic bass).

Susana Andrade will close this moon filled soiree at the São Martinho square.

Jul 25
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Royal sunset

By Nearby 3.548 Comments

This Friday could be a different one for those wishing to attend a sunset concert, followed by the descent of part of Royal Route 23 (Caminho Real 23) under a full moon. This is what the Associação do Caminho Real da Madeira and Associação Retoiça propose, namely anEcoMusicalis concert at the Miradouro do Fio, next to Caminho Real nr 23, at Fajã da Ovelha, Calheta.

This intimate concert is the first event of the partnership between the two associations, and will last for some fifty minutes, with the sounds being played by Tiago Sena Silva. After that, the challenge is a nocturnal descent until Paul do Mar, following the old Royal Route, with the organization making some LED flashlights available, despite the full moon.

The event is free and open to all interested, with transport back to the beginning of the walk being made available to the atarting point. The use of adequate shoes and a flashlight is recommended.

Jul 25
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Funchal hosts more culture

By Nearby, Our Islands 600 Comments

The Funchal council is definitely hyped on culture. The numbers have been unveiled, showing the Funchal council has produced, since early 2014 to June 2017, a total of 122 cultural events, of all types.

Theatre, dance, concerts, exhibits and learning, technical-scientific and commercial events, were all part of the cultural offer by the council, with over 30 events taking place every year.

Amongst them, some of the marking events of Paulo Cafofo’s mandate, like the urban festival Fica na Cidade, the commemorative concerts celebrating the 25th of April and the Day of the City, the plays part of the national network EUNICE, or the refreshed events calendar of the city market, that created the Mercado de Chocolate (chocolate market), or the Natal na Praça (Christmas at the Market), amongst many others.

For the mayor, this is “revealing balance, that clearly shows the stress laid in culture by this council, which was one of the most obvious and successful strategies of the mandate”. Funchal needed a bigger, better and cheaper offer, and it is obvious to all that we have succeeded in accomplishing the cultural vitality we were trying to attain”, said Paulo Cafofo.

Jul 25
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More parking made available at Praia Formosa

By Nearby, Our Islands 4.267 Comments

The Funchal council once more makes (free) parking space available at Praia Formosa, just like last year, in the terrain to be found just off the main street.

To overcome the difficulties created by the closing of the previous space serving this beach, the council, presided by Paulo Cafofo, once again found a solution for the popular beach. From yesterday, there’s a parking space of some 2300 square metres, to which all the spots existing on the road finishing on the beach, with all the necessary signage having been posted by the council.

Praia Formosa is the only one in Portugal with sea access for those with seeing and mobility impairments, with the system being set into place, a process which is expected to be completed early in July.

Also for this reason, it is also good to remind everyone that there are special parking spaces for people with disabilities.

Jul 25
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Cattle fair this weekend

By Nearby 2.327 Comments

It’s already this weekend that Porto Moniz receives the first of the big summer events in the council.

The 62nd edition of the event will take place from June 30th to July 2nd, and farmers and service providers of this industry can show the state of the art as applied in Madeira.

There will also be all the usual food and beverage stalls, as well as the stalls for trinkets and handicrafts, which make this an ideal circumstance for a family outing, especially within those families that meet again at this time, as many people in the north have been forced to emigrate.