Portugal launches major 2026 cultural programmes in Lisbon and Luso

Lisbon's Teatro São Luiz announced its 2026/27 season, curated by artistic director Miguel Loureiro. The programme blends theatre, music, dance, performance and literature, featuring Strindberg's *The Father* directed by Gonçalo Waddington, a new interpretation of Aeschylus' *Oresteia* by Bruno Bravo, the trans‑disciplinary project *Under the Shade of a Tree I Sat and Wept* by Jeton and Blerta Neziraj, and Akram Khan Company’s *Thikra: Night of Remembering*. The season opens with the free‑entry Picadeiro Fest 2026 (9‑13 Sept) and will close in summer 2027 with a production by Teatro Praga.

In the town of Luso, the municipality of Mealhada launched the “Luso Verão 2026” summer programme, running from July to September. Highlights include the Meajazz – Jazz, Blues & Wine Fest, concerts, circus, folklore, samba, outdoor cinema, guided heritage tours, literary tourism, fairs (urban crafts, honey and bread), the Festival of Living Statues, Rally Legends and the historic Commemoration of the Battle of Bussaco at the end of September. Organisers aim to strengthen tourism, showcase the region’s cultural heritage and stimulate the local economy.