The history of the monument will be explored “in a creative way,” inviting the public to “learn about significant episodes in the history of the Castle and some of the best-known legends of Leiria,” presented in both Portuguese and English.

“Each performance will take place in an intimate setting, with a limited capacity of 40 or 50 spectators, providing a high-quality, close-knit artistic experience,” announces the municipality of Leiria.

Official opening

The official opening of “Dance in the Castle” is scheduled for 10 July, with a gala featuring Portuguese dancers Margarita Fernandes and António Casalinho, both natives of Leiria and currently part of the Vienna State Opera in Austria.

Medieval Festival

The Medieval Festival is scheduled for 24 July, celebrating the connection between art, history, and community, with a performance by Núria Fernandes, another Portuguese dancer currently abroad, also from Leiria, and the Italian Davide Alphandery, both from the Paris Opera Junior Company in France.

Quoted in the information released by the municipality, the Councillor for Culture of Leiria, Anabela Graça, understands “Dança no Castelo” as “a strategic project that affirms the versatility, quality and cultural dynamism of Leiria”.

The official considers that the festival will “attract visitors, boost the local economy, create opportunities for young artists and position Leiria Castle as a reference space for the performing arts”, establishing itself as “a new benchmark event in the national and international cultural landscape”.