Ravinia 2025 Issue 6

1983), O corsário do rei (The King’s Privateer; 1985), and Dança da meia-lua (Half-Moon Dance; 1988). Their Cambaio (Unstable) re- cording won the 2002 Latin Grammy for Best Música Popular Brasileira Album. O grande circo mistico originated as a ballet score, inspired by poet and politician Jorge de Lima’s eponymous poem, for Balé Teatro Guaíra in the city of Curitiba. This amalgama- tion of music, poetry, ballet, opera, circus, and theater premiered on March 17, 1983. A two- year tour of Brazil and Portugal followed with almost 200 performances before 200,000 audi- ence members. The plot straddles the line be- tween fantasy and reality as it traces the steady decline of a circus owned by five generations of the Knieps family. Mishaps and tragedies begin with the aristocrat Frederic Knieps, who falls in love with the acrobat Agnes and buys her a circus. The young woman later dies giving birth to their child. When writing lyrics about the acrobat, Buarque struggled to find the proper musical rhythm or inflection for the name Agnes. He kept hearing The ballet, musical, and musical film O grande circo mistico , featuring the music of Edu Lobo and Chico Buarque The poet and politician Jorge de Lima (1940), whose poem inspired O grande circo mistico Beatriz—the character Beatrice in Dante’s Di- vine Comedy —in his mind, so he and Edu Lobo composed a song to this name. Milton Nasci- mento first recorded this exquisite, technically demanding song in 1983. The storyline and mu- sic were later transformed into a stage musical and, in 2018, an award-winning film. Along the way, the producers renamed the character Ag- nes to Beatriz. JACOB DO BANDOLIM (1918–1969) “Assanhado” (arranged by Sérgio Assad) Jacob do Bandolim was an influential mando- lin player and composer of choros , the fast- paced, improvised instrumental dances of Bra- zil. Born Jacob Pick Bittencourt in Rio de Janeiro to a gentile father—a pharmacist possi- bly of French extraction—and a Polish Jewish mother, he assumed the stage name “Mandolin Jacob” and earned a reputation as a musical perfectionist. On May 17, 1934, he made his de- but on Rádio Guanabara’s Programa dos No- vos, performing Atilio Grany’s “Aguenta Calunga” (Hang on, Calunga). Bandolim built a radio career with numerous appearances over the next few years. His debut solo recording as composer and mandolinist came on a 78-rpm disc contain- ing his choro Treme-treme (Tremble-Tremble) on one side and Bonfiglio de Oliveira’s waltz Glória on the other. Bandolim signed a record- ing contract with RCA Victor in 1949 and re- mained with the label throughout his career. He joined the Rádio Nacional staff in 1955, per- forming regularly with the César Moreno En- semble, and was the focus of the program Jacob do Bandolim e seus Discos de Ouro (Jacob do Bandolim and his Gold Records) until the eve of his death. Bandolim composed “Assanhado” (Frisky) in 1961. –Program notes © 2025 Todd E. Sullivan Jacob do Bandolim PLÍNIO FERNANDES Born and raised in São Paulo, Plínio Fernandes fuses the tradition of classical guitar with Bra- zilian folk music. An exclusive Decca Gold recording artist, Fernandes released his debut album Saudade in 2022, which hit number one on the Billboard Traditional Classical Albums Chart. In contrast to his recently released EP Cinema , which dives into five iconic movie soundtracks, his second album, Bacheando , released in September 2023, explores Bach’s influence on Brazilian music. Following recent debuts at the BBC Proms and Lucerne Festi- val, the 2024/25 season saw Fernandes perform solo recitals at St Martin in the Fields and Tem- ple Music Church, as well as make debuts at Canterbury Festival and Newbury Spring Fes- tival. He also debuted with the BBC Concert Orchestra and the Britten Sinfonia performing Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez earlier this year. A powerful ensemble player and collab- orator, Fernandes performs regularly with a variety of musicians, including Lang Lang and brothers Braimah and Sheku Kanneh-Mason. Last season saw Sheku and Plínio give a five- date recital tour of the UK, which included a sold-out performance at London’s Wigmore Hall. Having performed in sold-out concert halls around the world, including renowned venues such as the Royal Albert Hall and New York’s Radio City Music Hall, Fernandes has also conducted solo recitals and master classes in several music hubs, including Hong Kong, Portugal (for the MIMO festival in Porto), and throughout South America. Fernandes has been recognized on Forbes Brazil ’s Under 30 list and named a Rising Star by Classic FM, and he recently received the Revelação Award at the 30th Annual Prêmio da Música Brasilei- ra. A passionate advocate for music education, Fernandes was invited to join London Music Masters as an ambassador, and he is involved with performing, teaching, and guiding young musicians in schools. Plínio Fernandes began his Ravinia debut last month as a guest on Lang Lang’s Disney Book program, making his Chi- cago Symphony Orchestra debut. RAVINIA.ORG  • RAVINIAMAGAZINE 79 LILLIEEIGER(FERNANDES)