The Emperor of Portugalia
By Selma Lagerlöf
Info
Period
04. November 2025 -
19. November 2025
Expected duration
To be announced after the premiere
Dates
Tues. - fri.,19:00
Sat., 16:00
The press says
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“As a basis for his increasing madness, the vocal ensemble Ætla sings, sending shivers down your spine with its atonal flashes.”
Politiken -
“A playful, touching and very well-crafted play.”
Iscene -
“It's phenomenal and a small miracle.”
Berlingske -
“Maria Rossing delivers one of her wildest performances ever – THE EMPEROR OF PORTUGALIA is yet another collective triumph for the Betty Nansen Theatre.”
Sceneblog -
“Extremely accomplished”
CPH CULTURE -
“A visually and artistically powerful interpretation of a classic that still has something to say.”
Kristeligt Dagblad
About the play
A tale of love, madness and a village’s insatiable curiosity.
When farmer Jan holds his newborn daughter in his arms, his heart is born. He names her after the sun itself. But when she breaks away from him as a young adult, he loses his footing and begins to live in his own self-created world, Portugalia. The village looks on in wonder – his behaviour is too crazy.
Selma Lagerlöf is known for her ability to combine folklore, social indignation and psychological insight. The Emperor of Portugalia is a poignant tale of boundless love, poverty and the pain that separation can bring. And about how a community reacts when someone denies the reality that the rest of us agree on.
In this version of the story, Jan’s fate is experienced through the eyes of the village. Actress Maria Rossing gives voice to all the villagers in an intense monologue, while the vocal ensemble ÆTLA, consisting of eight singers, enhances the atmosphere.
