The artist Cristina Maria celebrates 15 years as a professional fado singer, a career that she develops in parallel to her career as a sculptor, but she recognizes “being very little” in the history of this musical genre.
“I consider it very little in the history of Fado, but it already makes me very happy”, said the Fado singer, in an interview to Lusa news agency, adding that the two arts “complement each other and they walk together holding hands”.
Several of her sculptural pieces have Fado references, as in the case of the “Sculptures of my Fado” exhibition presented in 2013 at the Fado Museum and, in the following year, at the National Pantheon, in Lisbon, besides having toured the country and crossed borders, to Pontedera, in Italy, and Frontignam, in France.
On the occasion, Cristina Maria told Lusa that she was trying to “express the double feeling of loving fado and the singing”.
In 2023, Cristina Maria will complete 25 years of work in sculpture.
As part of 15 years of fado, Cristina Maria will perform on May 27, at the Imperfect Chapels of the Batalha Monastery, in the district of Leira, and she will edit the CD-book “Ponte do Regresso”, a title inspired on the homonymous theme, by Tomás Correia, which was part of the album “A Voz e as Mãos” (2014).
The book, with the cover by the plastic artist Xicofran, includes a text by Cristina Maria on the “challenge that has been fado”, and testimonials from authors, composers and producers, such as Custódio Castelo and António Neto. The edition is trilingual, in Portuguese, English, and French, because the artist plans to publish the book abroad.
On the 27th, in Batalha, the fado singer is accompanied by the musicians Ricardo Silva, on the Portuguese guitar, António Neto, on the viola, and Jorge Carreiro, on the double bass.
In this show her “special guest”, is the fadista Guilherme Frazão, “an interpreter with a unique and very unusual timbre”, with whom she has shared the most stages, an interpreter that she respects and that marked her path, said the creator of “Recado ao Tempo” (Custódio Castelo/Jorge Fernando), who recognized “she is not a fado singer from fado houses”.
The album gathers “the most emblematic songs” of her career, reflecting her previous records, such as “Lírio Roxo” (António Gedeão/Custódio Castelo), “Que Importa a Mágoa” (Catarina Carvalho/C.Castelo), and “Livremente”, with words and music by Cristina Maria.
Custódio Castelo, who has produced previous works by the fado singer and has accompanied her on the Portuguese guitar, is the most represented author on this new album, with 10 songs.
Among the themes of the line-up are “Bem Perto do teu Sorriso” (Catarina Carvalho/C.Castelo), “Celestes” (Miguel Carvalhinho/C.Castelo) and “Meu Amor Onde Navegas”, by Mário Rainho, put to music by António Neto, or “O Silêncio da Noite”, by Cristina Maria and A. Neto.
To Lusa the artist underlined that she has focused on original themes throughout her career. “There are about 30 originals in my repertoire, which, for me, is an artistic maturity”, she emphasized.
The artist has doubts if the way she has evolved in the art of singing and sculpting is comparable.
“For me, maybe because I am older, the evolution has been greater in sculpture than in Fado. The term of comparison is much easier to exist in fado, where there are always many more references and similarities in our interpretative form, than in sculpture, where there is a much more own identity”, she argued, considering that “the two complement each other a lot”.
Cristina Maria was already the vocalist of a Portuguese music group, but pointed out that “fado has existed in her life for a long time”,
The 15 years of fado that she is celebrating are counted from the time she started “taking it more seriously” and became a professional, a decision taken after a trip to Brazil, in the scope of sculpture, in 2003/2004.
Dulce Pontes was the one who awakened her to fado, “and only later, with the full awareness of fado in its roots” – she continued, referring to Amália Rodrigues – was when she began “to embrace fado with heart and soul”.
This album succeeds “LivreMente” (2018), and is the 5th album by the fadista who made her recording debut in 2008 with “O Outro Lado”, followed by “Percursus” (2010) and “A voz e as Mãos” (2016).
The show in the imperfect chapels at the Batalha Monastery is the first of a series that includes performances at ExpoBatalha, on July 3, at the Festival dos Baleeiros, on the island of Pico, in the Azores, on August 23, in Ponte de Sor, in the district of Portalegre on September 17th, and the following day in Nazaré, district of Leiria, in a show that should count with the “special participation” of Aníbal Ferro, who composed the melody for “Que Farei de Ti Meu Coração”, with lyrics by Cristina Maria.
The fado singer also has shows planned in Lisbon, at Voz do Operário and at the Fado Museum, where she usually presents her work, and in Leiria, where she will be performing.
The artist Cristina Maria celebrates 15 years as a professional fado singer, a career that she develops in parallel to her career as a sculptor, but she recognizes “being very little” in the history of this musical genre.
“I consider it very little in the history of Fado, but it already makes me very happy”, said the Fado singer, in an interview to Lusa news agency, adding that the two arts “complement each other and they walk together holding hands”.
Several of her sculptural pieces have Fado references, as in the case of the “Sculptures of my Fado” exhibition presented in 2013 at the Fado Museum and, in the following year, at the National Pantheon, in Lisbon, besides having toured the country and crossed borders, to Pontedera, in Italy, and Frontignam, in France.
On the occasion, Cristina Maria told Lusa that she was trying to “express the double feeling of loving fado and the singing”.
In 2023, Cristina Maria will complete 25 years of work in sculpture.
As part of 15 years of fado, Cristina Maria will perform on May 27, at the Imperfect Chapels of the Batalha Monastery, in the district of Leira, and she will edit the CD-book “Ponte do Regresso”, a title inspired on the homonymous theme, by Tomás Correia, which was part of the album “A Voz e as Mãos” (2014).
The book, with the cover by the plastic artist Xicofran, includes a text by Cristina Maria on the “challenge that has been fado”, and testimonials from authors, composers and producers, such as Custódio Castelo and António Neto. The edition is trilingual, in Portuguese, English, and French, because the artist plans to publish the book abroad.
On the 27th, in Batalha, the fado singer is accompanied by the musicians Ricardo Silva, on the Portuguese guitar, António Neto, on the viola, and Jorge Carreiro, on the double bass.
In this show her “special guest”, is the fadista Guilherme Frazão, “an interpreter with a unique and very unusual timbre”, with whom she has shared the most stages, an interpreter that she respects and that marked her path, said the creator of “Recado ao Tempo” (Custódio Castelo/Jorge Fernando), who recognized “she is not a fado singer from fado houses”.
The album gathers “the most emblematic songs” of her career, reflecting her previous records, such as “Lírio Roxo” (António Gedeão/Custódio Castelo), “Que Importa a Mágoa” (Catarina Carvalho/C.Castelo), and “Livremente”, with words and music by Cristina Maria.
Custódio Castelo, who has produced previous works by the fado singer and has accompanied her on the Portuguese guitar, is the most represented author on this new album, with 10 songs.
Among the themes of the line-up are “Bem Perto do teu Sorriso” (Catarina Carvalho/C.Castelo), “Celestes” (Miguel Carvalhinho/C.Castelo) and “Meu Amor Onde Navegas”, by Mário Rainho, put to music by António Neto, or “O Silêncio da Noite”, by Cristina Maria and A. Neto.
To Lusa the artist underlined that she has focused on original themes throughout her career. “There are about 30 originals in my repertoire, which, for me, is an artistic maturity”, she emphasized.
The artist has doubts if the way she has evolved in the art of singing and sculpting is comparable.
“For me, maybe because I am older, the evolution has been greater in sculpture than in Fado. The term of comparison is much easier to exist in fado, where there are always many more references and similarities in our interpretative form, than in sculpture, where there is a much more own identity”, she argued, considering that “the two complement each other a lot”.
Cristina Maria was already the vocalist of a Portuguese music group, but pointed out that “fado has existed in her life for a long time”,
The 15 years of fado that she is celebrating are counted from the time she started “taking it more seriously” and became a professional, a decision taken after a trip to Brazil, in the scope of sculpture, in 2003/2004.
Dulce Pontes was the one who awakened her to fado, “and only later, with the full awareness of fado in its roots” – she continued, referring to Amália Rodrigues – was when she began “to embrace fado with heart and soul”.
This album succeeds “LivreMente” (2018), and is the 5th album by the fadista who made her recording debut in 2008 with “O Outro Lado”, followed by “Percursus” (2010) and “A voz e as Mãos” (2016).
The show in the imperfect chapels at the Batalha Monastery is the first of a series that includes performances at ExpoBatalha, on July 3, at the Festival dos Baleeiros, on the island of Pico, in the Azores, on August 23, in Ponte de Sor, in the district of Portalegre on September 17th, and the following day in Nazaré, district of Leiria, in a show that should count with the “special participation” of Aníbal Ferro, who composed the melody for “Que Farei de Ti Meu Coração”, with lyrics by Cristina Maria.
The fado singer has also scheduled shows in Lisbon, at Voz do Operário and at the Fado Museum, where she usually presents her works, in Leiria and in Alfândega da Fé, in the district of Bragança.
Artigo em Português
Cristina Maria celebra 15 anos de fado com ‘livro-CD’ e uma série de espetáculos
A artista Cristina Maria celebra 15 anos como fadista profissional, uma carreira que desenvolve em paralelo à de escultora, mas que reconhece “ser muito pouco” na história deste género musical.
“Considero muito pouco na história do Fado, mas já me deixa muito feliz”, disse a fadista, em entrevista à agência Lusa, acrescentando que as duas artes “complementam-se e caminham de mãos dadas”.
Várias das suas peças escultóricas têm referências fadistas, como no caso da exposição “Esculturas do meu fado” que apresentou em 2013 no Museu do Fado e, no ano seguinte, no Panteão Nacional, em Lisboa, além de ter percorrido o país e de ter atravessado fronteiras, até Pontedera, em Itália, e Frontignam, em França.
Na ocasião, Cristina Maria disse à Lusa que procurava “exprimir o duplo sentimento de amar o fado e a cantaria”.
Em 2023, Cristina Maria completará 25 anos de trabalho em escultura.
No âmbito dos 15 anos de fado, Cristina Maria atua no próximo dia 27, nas Capelas Imperfeitas do Mosteiro da Batalha, no distrito de Leira, e vai editar o ‘livro-CD’ “Ponte do Regresso”, título inspirado no tema homónimo, de Tomás Correia, que fez parte do álbum “A Voz e as Mãos” (2014).
O livro, com capa do artista plástico Xicofran, conta com um texto de Cristina Maria sobre o “desafio que tem sido o fado”, e com testemunhos de autores, compositores e produtores, como Custódio Castelo e António Neto. A edição é trilingue, em português, inglês e francês, pois a artista projeta publicar o livro no estrangeiro.
No dia 27, na Batalha, a fadista é acompanhada pelos músicos Ricardo Silva, na guitarra portuguesa, António Neto, na viola, e Jorge Carreiro, no contrabaixo.
Neste espetáculo é “convidado especial”, o fadista Guilherme Frazão, “um intérprete com um timbre único e muito invulgar”, com quem mais tem partilhado os palcos, um intérprete que respeita e que marcou o seu percurso, disse a criadora de “Recado ao Tempo” (Custódio Castelo/Jorge Fernando), que reconheceu “não ser uma fadista de casas de fado”.
O álbum reúne “os temas mais emblemáticos” da sua carreira, refletindo os seus anteriores discos, casos de “Lírio Roxo” (António Gedeão/Custódio Castelo), “Que Importa a Mágoa” (Catarina Carvalho/C.Castelo) e “Livremente”, com letra e música de Cristina Maria.
Custódio Castelo, que produziu trabalhos anteriores da fadista, e já a acompanhou à guitarra portuguesa, é o autor mais representado neste novo álbum, assinando 10 temas.
Entre os temas do alinhamento, destacam-se “Bem Perto do teu Sorriso” (Catarina Carvalho/C.Castelo), “Celestes” (Miguel Carvalhinho/C.Castelo) e “Meu Amor Onde Navegas”, de Mário Rainho, musicado por António Neto, ou “O Silêncio da Noite”, de Cristina Maria e A. Neto.
À Lusa a artista sublinhou ter apostado em temas originais ao longo da carreira. “Há cerca de 30 originais no meu repertório, o que, para mim, é uma maioridade artística”, realçou.
“Estou grata a estes autores que me desafiaram e tanto engrandeceram a minha carreira e a minha forma de estar no fado”, afirmou.
A artista tem dúvidas se é comparável a forma como tem evoluído na arte do canto e na de esculpir, certo “é que o público já se familiarizou com o ser escultora e fadista”.
“Para mim, se calhar por ter mais anos, talvez a evolução tenha sido maior na escultura do que no fado. O termo de comparação é muito mais fácil de existir no fado, em que há sempre muito mais referências e semelhanças na nossa forma interpretativa, do que na escultura, onde há uma identidade muito mais própria”, argumentou, considerando que “as duas complementam-se muito”.
Cristina Maria já foi vocalista de um grupo de música portuguesa, mas salientou que “o fado já existia há muito tempo na [sua] vida”,
Os 15 anos de fado, que está a celebrar, são contados desde que começou “a levar mais a sério” e se tornou profissional, uma decisão tomada depois de uma viagem ao Brasil, no âmbito da escultura, em 2003/2004.
Dulce Pontes foi quem a despertou para o fado, “e só mais tarde, com a total consciência do fado na sua raiz” – prosseguiu, referindo-se a Amália Rodrigues -, foi quando começou “a abraçar o fado de alma e coração”.
Este álbum sucede a “LivreMente” (2018), e é o 5.º álbum da fadista que se estreou discograficamente, em 2008, com “O Outro Lado” ao qual sucederam “Percursus” (2010) e “A voz e as Mãos” (2016).
O espetáculo nas capelas imperfeitas no Mosteiro da Batalha é o primeiro de uma série que inclui apresentações na ExpoBatalha, no dia 03 de julho, no Festival dos Baleeiros, na ilha do Pico, nos Açores, a 23 de agosto, em Ponte de Sor, no distrito de Portalegre, a 17 de setembro, e, no dia seguinte, na Nazaré, no distrito de Leiria, num espetáculo que deverá contar com a “participação especial” de Aníbal Ferro, que compôs a melodia de “Que Farei de Ti Meu Coração”, com letra de Cristina Maria.
A fadista tem ainda previsto espetáculos em Lisboa, na Voz do Operário e no Museu do Fado, onde habitualmente apresenta os seus trabalhos, e em Leiria e em Alfândega da Fé, no distrito de Bragança.
NL // MAG
Lusa/Fim
