Retour en Avant / Past Forward Biennale de la Danse Lyon - France

“I’ve lived in typical Lisbon surroundings and I’vealways sung fado. I know what it means – it’sthrough fado that I understand myself.”Born in 1976 in Mozambique, Mariza forgedher soul in the old Lisbon quarter of Mouraria. Itwas here that she heard fado singers for the firsttime, and these many memories – which mergein her mind – live on in her music.Her tributes to Fernando Maurício and AmáliaRodrigues in her latest album, Transparente,therefore come as no surprise. Despite experimentingwith other rhythmic forms, Mariza hasalways had a close bond with fado. Her first album,Fado em mim (2001), won an enthusiasticfollowing in Portugal and propelled Mariza ontothe international scene. The press did not mincetheir words, commenting: “ A star is born!”In 2002 she received the First Award for MostOutstanding Performance at the Quebec SummerFestival; she also performed in Central Parkin New York, at the mythical Hollywood Bowl,and in London. In March 2003, BBC Radio handedher the Best European World Music ArtistAward (she won it again in 2005). Her secondalbum, Fado Curvo, was released the same yearand confirmed all the hopes placed in the youngsinger. Mariza’s sales topped those of all othercontemporary fado singers. On tour in Europe,she played to full houses at the Queen ElizabethHall in London, the Alte Oper in Frankfurt, theBelém cultural centre in Lisbon and the Théâtrede la Ville in Paris.In 2004, she sang A Thousand Years with Stingon the official Olympic Games album. Sheclocked up concerts on four continents in prestigiousvenues: Carnegie Hall in New York, theOpera House in Sydney, the International Houseof Music in Moscow, and the Barbican Centre inLondon, to name but a few.Her album Transparente (2005) was released in35 countries in Europe, Latin America and theUnited States, further extending her reach – forMariza, this was a watershed period. Her passionfor singing the poets’ words was intact, andshe made them hers with her intensely emotionalinterpretations.In March 2005, Marizabecame an internationalambassadress for the workand ideas of Hans ChristianAndersen. Denmark chose hernot because of her huge popularityin Portugal and elsewhere butbecause fado, like Andersen’s stories,has a melancholic, poetical quality thatgives it universal appeal. In July of the sameyear, she sang alongside Peter Gabriel, YoussouN’Dour and Angélique Kidjo in the Africa Callingconcert – a moving day for Mozambique-bornMariza. She was also named Portugal’s nationalambassadress to Unicef to defend, promote andassist the organisation’s initiatives.In February 2006, the Portuguese president honouredMariza with the prestigious “Comendada Ordem do Infante”, a title bestowed on figureswho have helped to promote of Portugal’sculture, history and values around the world.The Portuguese music industry also distinguishedher, with a Golden Globe Award in the BestPerformer of the Year category for her albumTransparente. In 2006 in Australia, Mariza wasnominated at the Helpmann Awards for BestInternational Contemporary Concert. And now,what lies in store for this beautiful transparentvoice? Mariza has experimented with othermusical genres, including flamenco, singing withSpanish star José Mercé. But you can’t imagineher straying from fado for long, as she seekswords in the poets’ œuvre to make her own,in a traditional form of music that is constantlybeing renewed: “Fado has no limits, but mustbe treated with the greatest of care.” Fado,a poet once said, makes its way in the worldthanks to the transparency of its language. It is alanguage that Mariza sings with all her heart.Extra info:www.mariza.orgMusic show77