Seara: Portuguese Music in Evolution is the culmination of a journey that has been taking shape at Clube Raiz, a project dedicated to valuing the region’s musical heritage. On 19 December, Theatro Circo hosts a unique and collaborative concert featuring Amélia Muge, Daniel Pereira Cristo, Júlio Pereira, Manuel de Oliveira and Rão Kyao, accompanied by Miguel Veras and Quiné Teles. The repertoire brings together original works and previously unheard arrangements.

On 13 and 14 December, Marco Martins premieres An Enemy of the People in the Main Hall of Theatro Circo. Images from a 2024 incident on Rua do Benformoso, in which around 60 immigrants—mostly from Bangladesh—were forced to stand against a wall with their hands on their heads for two hours, went viral and sparked public debate about the legitimacy of the action and the exposure of individuals with no criminal record. Around the same time, the director considered adapting An Enemy of the People by Henrik Ibsen, a text centred on the conflict between the individual and the collective. Written and directed by Martins, the play is built from the testimonies and biographies of these immigrants, who are now part of the cast.

The official closing of Braga 25 takes place on 28 December, marking also a symbolic handover to Ponta Delgada, the next city to hold the title of Portuguese Capital of Culture. On the stage of Theatro Circo, there will be a formal moment between the two cities, celebrating the traditions of each region.

A month earlier, in November, the project What Do We Do With This?, which has been exploring Portuguese colonial issues and legacy with a group of young people, presents the artistic outcomes of these encounters. On 20 and 21 November, a book of short stories and original illustrations—mentored by the writer Ondjaki—will be launched.

These texts, written from real testimonies of the participating young people, will form the basis for a final performance. The programme also includes a video installation by Diogo Gazella Carvalho, a guided route through traces of the Portuguese empire in the city led by Chisoka Simões, and further moments of reflection proposed by the group and the MigraMediaActs project, featuring specialists and academics.

Literature serves as the starting point for the Utopia Festival, which returns from 14 November across various venues in the city. The festival offers performances, talks and workshops with renowned authors, exhibitions, literary walks, and activities for schools, aiming to encourage engagement with the many forms of artistic expression that stem from this everyday object. A highlight is the premiere of a commissioned piece by Tolentino de Mendonça, conceived for presentation in places of worship. Its world premiere will take place in the Chapel of the Imaculada.

In the final quarter of Braga 25, the Cenários programme also stands out, an initiative developed in collaboration with the Teatro Nacional D. Maria II. During the year of the Portuguese Capital of Culture, artists, thinkers and audiences are invited to explore and debate how Braga has interpreted this project, through a programme that celebrates dialogue between national artistic creation and opportunities for connection with Europe.

The programme includes a series of talks alongside a creation by Mohamed El Khatib, The Secret Life of the Elderly, presented at Theatro Circo on 28 November.

Supracasa, Braga 25’s support programme for artistic creation in the performing arts—which selected five creators in 2024 and will continue in 2026—features two presentations in the coming quarter.

Performer Ana Isabel Castro presents Adoçar at Theatro Circo. In this dance performance, premiering on 14 November, the artist reflects on the process of “sweetening” as a metaphor for washing, removing salt and sweat from the body, and, consequently, making it sweet.

The second creation—Búzio, by Ana Baptista—is presented on 31 October. In a research-driven and autofictional exploration of seaside tourism and contrasting realities, the artist takes as a starting point the typical Portuguese coastal locations that survive on seasonal tourism.

In October, the final chapter of Pipe Poetics also stands out, bringing Scottish composer Claire M Singer to one of the city’s most emblematic churches, the Church of Santa Cruz. Working across a broad spectrum—from electronic music to visual arts—the composer is especially known for her experimental approach to the organ, skilfully exploring harmonious textures and complex tones that evolve into striking soundscapes. The concert is free and takes place on the afternoon of 4 October.

Cinex also concludes with the exhibition that Laura San Segundo presents at gnration. In The Bodies We Bid Farewell To, the artist removes around two hundred early 20th-century photographs—depicting women with their dogs—from their original context. Through the use of archival materials, still and moving images, writing and performance, San Segundo reflects on how we represent animal mourning, on the bodies we part from, and on the role images play in this ritual. The exhibition runs from 10 October until the end of December.

Over the next three months, Braga 25’s mediation programme also brings several cycles to a close. Porta do Fazer once again gathers specialists for workshops dedicated to exploring Minho’s heritage from a contemporary perspective. Meanwhile, the Porta do Comer workshops—which have been filling Saturdays for many curious participants—are now transformed into a Braga 25 restaurant, where three dishes developed throughout the year by invited chefs can be tasted.

Also noteworthy is the unprecedented collaboration between the Orchestra of Electronic Devices and the Choir of Oncology Patients and Friends—a community choir whose main aim is to combat the social isolation of cancer patients and their caregivers. This performance, presented on 8 November at gnration, is not only a unique and unrepeatable musical exploration, but also a symbol of collective healing through music and community.

The Braga 25 agenda for the final quarter also includes performances from the regular programmes of Theatro Circo and gnration, previously announced in July. Highlights include Oneohtrix Point Never, Bonnie Prince Billy, Jabu, Hermeto Pascoal & Grupo, Stephen O’Malley, among other international artists.

The full programme for the final months of Braga 25 can be consulted at braga25.pt.