António de Sousa Bastos (1844 –1911) was a Portuguese writer, playwright, theatre entrepreneur and journalist. Author of the ''Diccionario do theatro portuguez'' (Dictionary of Portuguese Theatre), he was the husband of the actress
Palmira Bastos.
Early life
António Rodrigo Francisco João Valeriano Bernardino Peregrino Ângelo André Carlos Nicolau Vicente José Augusto Máximo Magalhães de Sousa Bastos de Judicibus was born in
Santa Isabel in the Portuguese capital of
Lisbon
Lisbon ( ; ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 567,131, as of 2023, within its administrative limits and 3,028,000 within the Lisbon Metropolitan Area, metropolis, as of 2025. Lisbon is mainlan ...
, on 13 May 1844, son of an Italian father, D. Francisco de Judicibus, a landowner from
Naples
Naples ( ; ; ) is the Regions of Italy, regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 908,082 within the city's administrative limits as of 2025, while its Metropolitan City of N ...
, and of D. Joana Maria da Salvação de Sousa Bastos, from Lisbon. His father was seriously ill at the time of their wedding in January 1841, being expected to die, but recovered and lived a long life. Sousa Bastos went to primary school in Lisbon and secondary school in
Santarém. He then returned to Lisbon to follow a course in
agronomy
Agronomy is the science and technology of producing and using plants by agriculture for food, fuel, fiber, chemicals, recreation, or land conservation. Agronomy has come to include research of plant genetics, plant physiology, meteorology, and ...
but never completed it, preferring to become a journalist.
Career
As a journalist, Sousa Bastos began to work on ''Álbum Literário'', moving on to ''Comércio de Lisboa'', ''Diário Comercial'', ''Gazeta Setubalense'', ''Gazeta do Dia'', and other papers. His writings on the theatre appeared in ''O Palco'', ''O Espectador Imparcial'', ''A Arte Dramática'' and ''Ribaltas e Gambiarras''.
[ He was appointed as director of several theatres and manager of several dramatic companies in Lisbon and in Brazil and was considered a pioneer in the development of theatrical management techniques. In 1878, already a leading figure in the Portuguese theatrical scene, he formed a company to perform in the ''Teatro do Príncipe Real'' (later the '' Teatro Apolo'') in Lisbon. Averse to hiring stars, he encouraged younger performers and turned them into stars. He gave a first performance in Lisbon to the actress, Tomásia Veloso. In 1890, while managing the '' Teatro da Rua dos Condes'' in Lisbon, he gave a first role to Palmira Bastos. In 1894 António Serrão Franco, who had purchased Lisbon's '']Teatro da Trindade
The ''Teatro da Trindade'' is a theatre in the Chiado neighbourhood of Lisbon, Portugal, built in the 19th century. It is one of the oldest theatres in Lisbon still in operation.
Construction and opening
In 1866, Francisco Pereira Palha de Fari ...
'', contracted an artistic society to run shows, and they appointed Sousa Bastos as director. Under him, the resident troupe included performers such as Palmira Bastos and Mercedes Blasco and he would marry the former, 30 years his junior, in 1894. This led Blasco, her professional rival, to leave the ''Trindade'' and move to Porto
Porto (), also known in English language, English as Oporto, is the List of cities in Portugal, second largest city in Portugal, after Lisbon. It is the capital of the Porto District and one of the Iberian Peninsula's major urban areas. Porto c ...
.
Writing
Sousa Bastos wrote dramas, comedies, operettas and also variety shows (known as magazine shows in Portugal). His last variety show was performed in 1909 at the '' Teatro Avenida'' in Lisbon, with performers including '' Pepa Martins de Abreu''.
Sousa Bastos was the author of a detailed work, ''Diccionario do theatro portuguez'' (1908) in which actors and actresses, theatrical terms and 213 different theatres were described, as well as of ''Carteira do Artista'' (1898). These continue to be used as an important source for historians of the Portuguese theatre.
Personal life
Sousa Bastos married Leopoldina Rosa Vieira Martins on 24 August 1865. She died in 1879. They had three daughters. On 1 July 1894, he married Palmira Bastos, with whom he had two daughters, Alda de Sousa Bastos and Amélia de Sousa Bastos.
Death
Sousa Bastos died on 2 July 1911, in Lisbon, at the age of 67, a victim of Bright's Disease
Bright's disease is a historical classification of kidney diseases that are described in modern medicine as acute or chronic nephritis. It was characterized by swelling and the presence of albumin in the urine. It was frequently accompanied ...
and diabetes
Diabetes mellitus, commonly known as diabetes, is a group of common endocrine diseases characterized by sustained high blood sugar levels. Diabetes is due to either the pancreas not producing enough of the hormone insulin, or the cells of th ...
. He is buried in a private vault in the Alto de São João Cemetery
Alto de São João Cemetery ( Portuguese: ''Cemitério do Alto de São João'') is the largest cemetery in Lisbon, Portugal, located in the ''freguesia'' (civil parish) of Penha de França, in eastern Lisbon (formerly, within the parish of São J ...
in the same city. Streets have been named in his honour in Lisbon, São Paulo, and near Brasilia.[
]
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sousa Bastos, Antonio de
19th-century Portuguese dramatists and playwrights
Portuguese theatre directors
Portuguese journalists
1844 births
1911 deaths
Writers from Lisbon
20th-century Portuguese dramatists and playwrights
19th-century Portuguese male writers
20th-century Portuguese male writers
Portuguese male dramatists and playwrights