Brazil celebrates the 70th anniversary of Antônio Nóbrega.

It's been 70 years of a smile that connects us with the ancestry of our people. It's been 70 years since the birth of the one who would transform and revolutionize the world's view of its own cultural traditions. It's been 70 years of a life that, with every breath, sends forth the inspiration that makes us who we are. It's been 70 years of Antônio Nóbrega.

Playful, troubadour, minstrel, this multi-talented artist dedicated his life, body and soul, to bringing to every corner of the earth the memory of who we are, our true identity. Using the tools of dance, music, theater, and the popular expressions of our Brazil, Nóbrega became the very embodiment of Brazilian culture. Perpetual Lunar and did it Midday Landmark echo the February 9th with the most magical and colorful umbrellas.

He paved the way for the captivating Tonheta and brought to the streets, fairs, fields, and stages of Brazil and the world, the most authentic expressions and the pride of being a truly Brazilian, a true "cabra da peste" (a term used to describe someone who is very tough or unconventional), with the smile and confidence of someone who knows and understands their mission in this world. 

Ah, when I speak of Antônio Nóbrega, I speak with the pride and emotion of someone who was able to learn from and have contact with one of the most brilliant artists and human beings I have ever known. It's impossible to hold back the tears that well up in my eyes. 

In the midst of so many battles for life, battles against those we can see and those we cannot, Nóbrega makes it possible for us to still believe in salvation. He shows us a faithful belief in traditions, but above all in humanity. 

For all this and much more, the academic world bows to the master of masters. Antônio Nóbrega has been the subject of works, theses, articles, and performances, but above all, Nóbrega brought the people and their truest expressions into the University, leading academics from an intellectual elite to bow to natural and popular wisdom. As Patativa do Assaré said in a passage from his work "Cante lá que eu Canto cá" (Sing there, I'll sing here):

For us here, be poets.

And to make a rhyme, fulfill it.

No need for a teacher

Just look at the month of May.

A poem in every jay

And a verse in each flower.

Antônio Nóbrega, in his 70s, is invited by the Institute for Advanced Studies at Unicamp to teach workshops during an artistic residency.

The series of free activities will begin in March and will include both remote and in-person meetings.

Musician, dancer, singer, composer, and actor Antônio Nóbrega will be holding an extensive program starting March 15th, which includes lectures and workshops on music, dance, theater, and poetry. The multi-talented artist, committed to Brazilian popular culture, was invited through the "Hilda Hilst" Artist-in-Residence Program at Unicamp, coordinated by the Institute for Advanced Studies (IdEA). 

A former professor at the Institute of Arts at Unicamp, where he worked between 1985 and 1991, the multi-talented artist from Pernambuco will celebrate his 70th birthday and five decades of career in 2022. The series of activities, which runs until September, is open to the Unicamp community and the general public and will consist of 12 in-person theoretical meetings, divided into 6 themes, a practical component consisting of eight workshops, and 2 virtual meetings.

After the first two introductory meetings, discussing the “Origins, formation and development of the Brazilian popular cultural world”, the program continues fortnightly with the following topics: “From the court to the seaside gallop” (April 12 and 26), “With syncopated steps: theory and practice of a Brazilian dance language” (May 31 and June 14), “From the courtyards and folk dancers to the Cavalo-marinho” (June 28 and July 12), “The Brazilian popular musical imaginary” (July 26 and August 9), and “Brasisbrasil” (August 23 and September 6). 

The workshops, also held every two weeks, will take place at the headquarters of the Institute for Advanced Studies. Registration for them will open soon on the IdEA website.

Antonio Nóbrega was born in Recife in 1952. His artistic initiation came through the violin, an instrument that has always accompanied him in his various artistic activities ever since. Between 1968 and 1970, he was a member of the Paraíba Chamber Orchestra and the Recife Symphony Orchestra. In 1971, at the invitation of the writer and playwright Ariano Suassuna (1927-2014), he joined the Quinteto Armorial, a pioneering group in the creation of Brazilian chamber music with popular roots, with whom he released four albums between 1974 and 1980. 

His extensive career includes performances throughout Brazil, as well as in countries such as Portugal, Germany, the United States, Cuba, Russia, and France. Nóbrega has received numerous awards in recognition of his work promoting Brazilian culture, such as the TIM Music Award, the Shell Theater Award, the Mambembe Award, the APCA Award, and the Conrado Wessel Award, in addition to having been decorated twice with the Order of Cultural Merit. For 30 years, he has co-directed the Instituto Brincante in São Paulo with Rosane Almeida, a space dedicated to courses, performances, workshops, exhibitions, and various events promoting Brazilian culture.

Service

Brasisbrasil – cycle of meetings with Antonio Nóbrega

Dates: 15/03, 29/03, 12/04, 26/04, 31/05, 14/06, 28/06, 12/07, 26/07, 09/08, 23/08 and 06/09.Open Hours: 10 am - 12 pmLocation: Auditorium of the Faculty of Medical Sciences (FCM) at UnicampAddress: Albert Sabin Street, no number, Zeferino Vaz University City, CampinasPresented by: Institute of Advanced Studies (IdEA) at UnicampRegistrations: http://www.idea.unicamp.br/eventos/brasisbrasil-ciclo-de-encontros-com-antonio-nobrega

Workshops with Antonio Nóbrega

Dates: April 12th and April 26th (Poetry); May 31st and June 14th (Dance); June 28th and July 12th (Theater); July 26th and August 9th (Music) Time: 14:30 pm - 16:30 pmLocation: Institute of Advanced Studies (IdEA)Address: Oswaldo Cruz Avenue, 301, Zeferino Vaz University City, CampinasPresented by: Institute of Advanced Studies (IdEA) at UnicampRegistrations: Coming soon to the website www.idea.unicamp.br

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