Music : Omara Portuondo and Maria Bethania: +DVD

Rating: - MARIA BETHANIA & OMARA POTUONDO - I loverd their music when I studied in Rio de Janeiro in the 1980ies!

I studied business and mechanical engineering in the 1980ies in Germany (Technical University) and in Brazil (Rio de Janeiro). I fell in love to this beautiful country, I travelled all over the country, visited Rio de Janeiro and its beaches, visited Salvador de Bahia, Recife, Amazonas, ..., fell in love into beautiful and interesting Brazilian girls/women, and its wonderful music, I met a lot of very friendly wonderful people! - MARIA BETHANIA's music reminds me on one of my best times in my life!


... MARIA BETHANIA - a portrait:

Born in Santo Amaro da Purificação, a small town in the countryside of Bahia (Northeast Brazil), Bethânia used to sing along with other family members and dreamt of becoming an actress. In 1960, she moved to Salvador to finish her formal studies, and joined the local artistic milieu with her brother Caetano Veloso. Three years later, she made her debut as a singer in the play "Boca de Ouro", by Nelson Rodrigues.

In that period, Bethânia e Caetano met other musicians who were also starting their music careers: Gilberto Gil, Gal Costa, Tom Zé, Alcivando Luz and others. And in 1964, this group of artists put on the shows "Nós Por Exemplo", "Nova Bossa Velha, Velha Bossa Nova" and "Mora na Filosofia". On that occasion, Bethânia was heard by the bossa nova muse, Nara Leão, who invited Bethânia to replace her in the show "Opinião", which was on in Rio de Janeiro. In 1965, during the Military Dictatorship in Brazil, Bethânia and Caetano moved to Rio de Janeiro. Bethânia's performance of the song "Carcará" (João do Vale/ José Cândido), in the show "Opinião", became a huge success and she got famous as a protest singer.

In that same year, Bethânia made her first recordings - a single and an LP, which included samba tunes by Noel Rosa, Benedito Lacerda, and songs by her brother Caetano Veloso.

In 1966, after a brief stay in her native Bahia, Bethânia participated in two shows - "Arena Canta Bahia" and "Tempo de Guerra", both directed by Augusto Boal. She also sang in music festivals, theaters and nightclubs in Rio and São Paulo, becoming known all over Brazil. Possessing a discography of more than 30 records, Bethânia has also performed and recorded with Edu Lobo and Chico Buarque. And in 1976, along with Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil and Gal Costa, she co-founded the group Doces Bárbaros. Her 1978, album "Álibi", sold over a million copies, placing Bethânia on the top of the charts in Brazil. This record included the hits "Negue" (Adelino Moreira/ Enzo Passos), "Explode Coração" (Gonzaguinha), "Ronda" (Paulo Vanzolini), "Sonho Meu" (Dona Ivone Lara/ Délcio Carvalho) and "Cálice" (Gil/ Chico Buarque). In 1986, Bethânia released the LP "Dezembros", featuring the bolero "Anos Dourados", by Tom Jobim and Chico Buarque. In the early 90's, she made more intimate albums, and in 1994 Bethânia re-emerged with a CD of romantic songs by Roberto and Erasmo Carlos ("As Canções que Você Fez pra Mim"). In 1996, Bethânia released the disc "Âmbar", which was turned into the show "Ambar - Imitação da Vida" in the following year, being acclaimed by the audiences and resulting in a double album. In 1999, she released the live, double CD "Diamante Verdadeiro".