HOW ALL THIS HAPPENED. An already long story.
For you
It all started about thirty years ago when a group of good friends embarked on the idea of forming a project for classical music. We aimed to offer a good deal of innovation and, as if that were not enough, create a link to a broad universe of the various forms of artistic creativity and culture in general – music, painting, theatre, literature … it all seemed natural to us, as we kept cultivating proposals in a warm habitat of generous enthusiasm.
From the same naturalness were born passionate and brave discussions as only true friends can have. Later, some of us decided to begin our own projects. I started an adventure of my own that came to be baptized – TCC. It was always my ambition to be able to work as independently as possible. It was the late 1980s, Europe was still a promising reality and Portugal breathed in the new good winds of European Democracy, but not all was rosy!
We began with a small Mozart opera, three singers, an actress, two sets, seven costumes, a chamber orchestra, no more than 6 collaborators, a couple of good friends in Oporto and a few in Lisbon, and all of the best quality. London had become an indispensable ally and despite the strong collection of headaches along the way, it was a clear success.
Over 300 sets later, an endless collection of wardrobes and props, thousands of artists from around the world and dozens of projects (let’s say hundreds!), where we literally did everything, there now remain with us amazing and grateful memories. In addition to the intervention of exceptional artists, we also counted on the generous and tireless participation of our regular collaborators. All these people gave their best. Some even accepted to work pro bono, while others could not even meet their financial expectations to which they have a legitimate right! Also, for this reason, let us be sincere, we always lived on the edge with an endless catalogue of humble and repeated afflictions of all kinds. To all who have felt hurt we have a duty of compensation and a painful sense of guilt. For all those who worked with us, without exception, we express our warm gratitude here.
To add to all this and financial struggles, we have unconsciously cultivated a current account of obstacles with cultural and political institutions that, with some wonderful exceptions, usually respond with silent discomfort to everything that mediates beyond its area of influence and power.
And yet we insisted on continuing, even only because – “he who runs for pleasure never gets tired.”
At this point, how does the world look to us? Does it make sense to carry on?
In recent times society seems to obstinately push younger generations into a world of ease and aggressiveness. Contrary to healthy development, technology seems to be strategically used to power and exploit the most basic instincts of the human being. In this world, music, and particularly classical music, succumbs to the wild pace of modernization. As a result, audiences fade everywhere at every turn, and consequently anything that relates to the so-called classical culture (arts in general, literature, philosophy, etc.) is inevitably looked upon as merely an obstacle to the brutal financial machine that rules the world. All this happens, even if surreptitiously, to avoid that truth causing any disturbance.
Western and modern civilizations are now submerged in a broth of people from the most diverse religious origins and creeds. Different cultures are daily exposed face to face. Social and financial differences threaten social stability at every step of our history and economic systems create chains of interest and dependence between civilizations that dispute the right to live in peace and with enough wealth, forcing the world into a constant confrontation.
It is therefore not unreasonable to accept that one can conceive of an investment in something that can be given to people, that connects them without the fear of difference and the threat of exclusion. Culture then emerges as the fundamental instrument of choice and music its universal language par excellence.
But on the other hand…
We also observe that the so-called cultural elites seem stubborn in removing the ordinary person from easy access to cultural life, paradoxical as it may seem! This is because of the unconfessed human vanity and the strategic sense of self-protection of an establishment with acquired exclusive privileges, feeding artistic and intellectual realities that are most of the times codified and inaccessible, sometimes in the right proportion of their poverty of content. They are the true “conservatives” of today, fanatical defenders of an obsolete “modernism” and who do everything so that none of this ever changes.
All this is supported most of the time by political interests, which are often not very competent and are certainly intrusive, certainly not innocent realities in this complex matter, offering protection to those who assure political promotion in return. To this end the creeds of Democracy, Globalization, Inclusion, Excellence and Contemporaneity or whatever else to propagandize and invent are invoked, so, abusively and misleadingly used in this unfortunate escalation of discredit in the eyes of mortals.
The refined world of Art often seems too grey, arid, and humanly empty to be true. At every turn intellectualism seems intent on trying to stifle its true emotional and spiritual dimension. It is not surprising, therefore, that it should be seen as the ultimate stronghold, the triumph of easy, sensational and immediate forms of art. The Works of Art have to be large, simple and preferably with garish colors. And everything that is to be listened should sound very loud and always monotone in rhythm. At least, though, they can be fun to watch and hear, so it’s not all bad!
But who dares to say that – “the Emperor has no clothes”?
Meanwhile…
Technology has changed. The abusive domains of the communication monopolies (where the worst politics and the weakest spirits have continually taken refuge) bleed at every step of the conquest of the world of communication in the digital reality. With all the risks, and they are many, it is a fundamental tool for us to be able to reach anyone, even those who for various reasons of health, age or financial precariousness, and especially of fragile preparation, may be excluded of the ordinary enjoyment of the universe of Art.
There is now a very interesting open door to anyone who aims to be independent of everything and everyone.
For our part, we believe that anyone can be sensitive to the best Art has to offer, so long as we are properly prepared to welcome them. They will not do it all in the same way, but it is precisely in this difference that lies the true richness of our challenge.
Therefore, our work should not be “political” in the most limiting sense of the word, it does not want to be “intellectual” in its most arid tendencies, and it wants to be genuine and sincere in what it proposes to offer. The task is not small!
If you find some corner in this Club of the Arts that gives you good company, that, for us, makes for immense satisfaction and pride. The door is always open.
It is for you that we work.
My name is Tito Celestino da Costa
I am responsible for this project which I am developing with the indispensable support of the family and good friends that I esteem and to whom I owe so much, with my four-legged companions without whom I do not know how to properly live, and with the partnership of a very special person who, for his magnificent intelligence and sensitivity, culture and deep spirit of human understanding, has become the inseparable element of my life.