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God Homeland Revolution - and Hamlet
By Nicholas | March 11, 2009
On Saturday I will be playing the complete music from my latest CD in Montijo, with texts read by André Gago, in the first of a series of “Hamlet Concerts”. But the first two months of this year were filled with something very different, the preparations for a Portuguese Music theatre piece entitled “Deus Patria Revolução”, created by composer Luís Bragança Gil and writer Luisa Costa Gomes, which brought together, and frequently combined or superimposed, Fascist and Revolutionary songs, marches and hymns, and much besides, from the last fifty years of Portugal’s history. The intention was ironic and largely comic, and the reactions of the public at the first performances at the end of February in the Belém Cultural Centre were, on the whole, very enthusiastic. I was responsible for much of the transcription work, which became a fascinating journey into what was for me largely unknown territory. Four excellent soloists, Alexandra Moura, Inês Madeira, Fernando Guimarães and Rui Baeta, and a choir of eight singers (Voces Caelestes) were joined by an unusual and very creative group of instrumentalists (Orquestra Aldrabófona) consisting of clarinet, trumpet/acordeon, trombone, guitar, doublebass and percussion, with myself at the piano. Pictured here with Fernando Guimarães is Inês Madeira in a memorable performance as the seductive and independent “other woman”.
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