World Premiere at Fira Mediterrània
On Thursday 15 October 2026, the audience at the Conservatori Municipal de Música de Manresa’s Miquel Blanch Auditorium experienced the world premiere of Quan siguis gran i jo sigui velleta, a 50-minute multidisciplinary performance by Laia Borràs Hervàs and Pau Senserrich Primé under their new artistic collective, La Portera. Presented as part of the Obrador d’arrel programme, the show combined handmade ceramic sound instruments, live voice, electronic elements, and spoken word to explore intergenerational care and affection.
Sound, Craft and Memory Intertwined
The performance centred on ceramic vessels made by Borràs from refractory clay, shaped using maps of Mediterranean rivers and their meanders. Filled with water during the show, these instruments produce sound through the pressure of water on air, activated by gently rocking them, a gesture evoking lullabies and caregiving. Audience members were invited to pass the instruments through the seating area and rock them, creating a shared sonic experience. The ceramic pieces, originally created for an art exhibition called Bressols d’aigua (Water Cradles), were developed into a stage format because of their physical interaction requirement. "I wanted to bring them to the stage," Borràs explained, linking the rocking motion directly to songs traditionally sung to soothe children and care for family.
"When you are grown and I am an old woman, guide me as I now guide you with my one-sided wings"
This line, sung in unison by the audience at the end of the performance, encapsulated the show’s core theme: the reciprocal nature of care across generations.
Roots in Art, Family and Community
The project was developed at Can Jové, a restored farmhouse in Santa Margarida de Montbui that serves as La Portera’s creative hub. Artistic guidance came from Víctor Borràs, Laia’s father and an experienced theatre pedagogue, actor, and director associated with La Casa del Teatre Nu in Sant Martí de Tous, where the company also held a residency. La Portera is both an artistic collective and a conceptual space for collaboration between music, sound, craftsmanship, and theatre. The group aims to use art as a meeting point, starting from traditional songs like "Sant Joan" and "La mare de Déu" to examine how affection is passed down. The production is a co-production of Fira Mediterrània de Manresa and El Canal Salt, with support from Suralita, La Casa de Teatre Nu, El Canal Salt, and Convent de les Arts d’Alcover. Technical and musical advice was provided by Ramon Franch, and vocal guidance by Mariona Castillo.
Future Performances and Touring Plans
Following its premiere, the artists expressed satisfaction with the reception and confirmed upcoming performances: Sunday 18 October 2026 in Flix, 28 November in Llobera, and 5 December in Sant Pere Sallavinera. They hope to expand the tour through new bookings following the Fira Mediterrània debut. Fira Mediterrània’s 2026 Obrador d’arrel programme is supporting 19 artistic projects, with a total budget of €360,000, to reinterpret traditional roots through music, dance, circus, and theatre. The initiative fosters collaboration with over 50 entities, businesses, and institutions.
Reported by regio7.cat, ebpublicfira.firamediterrania.cat, elcanalsalt.cat, firamediterrania.cat, cms.firamediterrania.cat, contractaciopublica.cat, Regió 7.
