Brazilian actress Lucélia Santos opened her new play honoring slain rainforest activist Chico Mendes at Lisbon's Teatro Villaret on Monday evening.
The production, titled 'Vozes da Floresta - Chico Mendes Vive' (Voices of the Forest - Chico Mendes Lives), runs through September 23 with daily performances scheduled for 9:00 p.m.
Written by dramatist Zezé Weiss, the play marks the first time Santos has staged the production at the venue in the Portuguese capital. The performance brings the story to life through the collective voices of women who participated in the historic resistance of Amazonian rubber tappers.
The narrative weaves together personal memories, live witness testimony, and rare archival audio recordings of Chico Mendes. Santos preserved these original sound recordings of the activist's speeches and interventions for decades before incorporating them into the theatrical work.
Preserving the Legacy of Chico Mendes
Speaking to Portuguese newspaper Correio da Manhã, the 69-year-old actress explained that the production was created to pay tribute to the enduring legacy of Mendes. Santos noted that despite his status as one of the most prominent environmental figures in Brazilian history and his major contributions to global environmentalism, Mendes remains under-recognized by the wider public.
Chico Mendes was a Brazilian rubber tapper, trade union leader, and environmental campaigner who gained international prominence for defending the Amazon rainforest and advocating for the rights of indigenous and rural communities. He was assassinated in 1988 at the age of 44, becoming a global symbol for ecological conservation. Rubber tappers extract natural latex from trees without causing deforestation, making their movement a pioneering model of sustainable forest protection.
Santos stated that she now seeks out artistic projects that intersect with urgent social and ecological themes. She emphasized that the message championing forest protection has become increasingly vital as the planet faces an unfolding climate crisis.
The actress observed that modern society now clearly sees the relevance of Mendes' work because nature's revolt is already underway and beyond human control. She added that this dangerous ecological breakdown is precisely what Mendes was warning the world about 40 years ago.
Reflecting on the nature of the stage production, Santos stressed that the performance functions as more than an intense theatrical drama, characterizing it as an essential historical document.
Cultural Connections and Upcoming Film Project
Santos, who maintains a close personal and professional connection with Portugal, admitted that she initially wondered how local audiences would respond to the story. She pointed out that although Brazil and Portugal share a common language, the two nations possess deeply distinct cultural traditions.
Despite her initial uncertainty regarding how the work would be received, Santos revealed that early audience reactions have been overwhelmingly positive, noting that viewers have been profoundly moved by the performance.
Santos achieved global stardom in 1976 when she starred as the titular character in the internationally acclaimed Brazilian television series 'Escrava Isaura' (The Slave Isaura). The historical drama was broadcast in over 80 countries, turning her into one of Latin America's most recognizable cultural figures. Throughout her multi-decade career, she has frequently combined her performing arts work with environmental and human rights advocacy.
Following her run at Teatro Villaret, Santos will remain active in Portugal. The actress revealed that she is set to return to the country shortly to begin filming a new cinematic project in Coimbra focusing on the topic of immigration.
Located in central Portugal along the Mondego River, Coimbra is home to one of Europe's oldest universities and has long served as a major cultural center. The production at Lisbon's Teatro Villaret, located on Avenida Fontes Pereira de Melo, concludes its scheduled run on September 23.
