Camilo, a romantic realist or a realistic romantic?

Scholars, biographers and Camillians are unanimous in recognising a certain realist streak in Camilo Castelo Branco. This trait, which runs throughout his entire oeuvre, is sometimes intermittent and at other times deeply rooted in the verb. And if his right side reveals the romantic, it's up to his other side to give body and concreteness.

Biographical Note - Annabela Rita

Annabela Rita has a PhD in Literature and two post-doctoral degrees. She is an associate professor at the University of Lisbon and a researcher at the Centre for Global Studies - Open University.

Director of the Portuguese Writers' Association and the Portuguese Language Observatory, Counsellor of the Supreme Council of SHIP and of the Virtual Museum of Lusophony at the University of Minho.

A member of various national and international scientific and cultural institutions, she sits on the Scientific Boards of journals, collections, complete works and projects. He directs the journal e-Letras com Vida - Revista de Estudos Globais and a collection by EDIFIR (Florence).

Awards & Honours: c. 3 dozen in Portugal and abroad.‘’’

Main and most recent works:

The trilogy dedicated to the Literary Canon Light and Shadows in the Literary Canon (2014), Of What Does Not Exist (2018) and Profiles & Frames (2018); the duology Sfumato. Figurações in hoc signo. Na senda da identidade nacional (2019) and Sfumato & Cânone (2021); Teolinda Gersão: encenações (2020): The Essentials of Teolinda Gersão (2021).

Biographical note - José Carlos Seabra Pereira

José Carlos Seabra Pereira holds a PhD from the Universities of Poitiers and Coimbra. Professor at the Faculty of Letters of Coimbra and the Catholic University, he researches and teaches in the areas of Literary Theory, Modern Portuguese Literature and Personal Studies. He directs the Interuniversity Centre for Camonian Studies and Casa da Escrita (Coimbra). A leading essayist on authors and themes from Decadentism and Symbolism, Neo-Romanticism and Modernism, he has frequently been on the juries of the most important literary prizes (Camões, Leya, APE, Círculo de Leitores, etc.).

Biographical note - Jorge Sobrado

Jorge Sobrado has a degree in Communication Sciences and is Vice-President of CCDR-NORTE, I.P. for the areas of Culture and Heritage.

He is a guest lecturer at various higher education institutions in Porto and Coimbra.

Between December 2022 and February 2024, he was director of the Museum and Libraries of Porto, in the Municipality of Porto, also acting as Municipal Director of Culture and Heritage, on a replacement basis.

In this role, he reformulated the Porto Museum's strategy, launched the ‘Wandering Library’ and the ‘Porto Museum and Libraries’ brand, and was responsible for the reopening of centres such as the Old Town Hall, the Pedro Ivo Popular Library, the Arqueossítio and the Eugénio de Andrade Poetry House. He also coordinated the proposal to transfer the management of the São João Novo Palace to the Municipality of Porto.

Between 2017 and 2021, he was Councillor for Culture, Heritage, Tourism and Territorial Marketing for the Municipality of Viseu, where he had worked since 2013 as Deputy Mayor. Here he founded the City History Museum and the Viseu Archaeological Centre, as well as the ‘Viseu Cultura’ funding programme for independent cultural projects, among others. During the same period, he was director of the VISEU MARCA association and, since 2016, manager of the São Mateus Fair. Among other initiatives, he was the author and programme-maker of the ‘Tinto no Branco’ literary festival.

In 2021 and 2022, he was head of CCDR NORTE, IP with responsibilities for Strategy and Institutional Relations, and for coordinating regional strategies for Culture and Tourism.

Between 2012 and 2013 he was an advisor to two members of the 19th Constitutional Government and to the President of the Portuguese Parliament.

Between 2002 and 2006, he was the European Commission's External Expert (DG REGIO) for information and communication on the Structural Funds.

Previously, between 2000 and 2011, he was communications director at CCDR NORTE, IP and advisor to several of its Presidents.

Find out more at https://bmp.cm-porto.pt/