Francisco Thiago Cavalcanti in residency at Espaço Alkantara

In 1974, singer Gal Costa released her fifth album, CANTAR. It is one of the most iconic albums in brazilian popular music, a synonymous with resistance. In 1974, Brazil was still living through one of the worst dictatorships in its history: artists, intellectuals and opposition politicians were exiled and silenced. Gal was one of the emblematic figures of the Tropicalist movement, which, among other concepts, used anthropophagy as an aesthetic driving force. With her sweet yet strident and provocative voice, she was one of the public figures who managed to use her singing to question a certain political, ethical and social (dis)order during this period. A large number of people had to go into exile to avoid being arrested or killed. This is not an isolated fact in a country's identity, it is a somewhat common reality.

Many people around the world have to travel long distances, long migrations in order to continue to exist; to flee war, religious persecution, to look for new livelihood opportunities. Whales make long journeys to feed themselves, to mate, to continue to exist, just like us, and on the way they sing. We can now imagine a play in which whales travel and sing, and with their singing they say phrases and verses that could provoke a revolution or at least a longing. Whales are enormous animals. We are small. But we can be enormous too. Singing is free. Singing relaxes, makes children sleep and can make adults wake up. What are the relationships between Gal, whales, exile, longing, borders, dictatorship, anthropophagy, multiculturalism, territories, de-territories, refuge? There are many. And now, let's dance it.

— Francisco Thiago Cavalcanti


CANTAR is the performance that Francisco Thiago Cavalcanti is developing in parallel with 52blue, both produced by Alkantara. The performances work as a diptych unfolding on the same subject. CANTAR will continue the reflection on displacement, exile, survival and resistance of 52blue, which premieres on 23 November at the Teatro do Bairro Alto, as part of the Alkantara Festival 2024. CANTAR will premiere in 2025.

Credits

Performed, created and directed by Francisco Thiago Cavalcanti Co-creation and performance Piero Ramella, Bárbara Cordeiro, Francisca Pinto, Sara Paternersi, Daniel Pizamiglio and Yaw Tembe Lighting design Santiago Tricot Produced by Alkantara Co-produced by Alkantara, Teatro Municipal do Porto Producer Sinara Suzin (Alkantara) Supported by Alkantara, Fundação Gulbenkian Documentation and Social Media Walesca Timmen Artistic residencies Alkantara, Ilê do Mestre Peixinho, N'Goma Capoeira Angola, P.A.F (Performing Arts Forum), Instável - Centro Coreográfico, Forum Dança, Centro Cultural da Malaposta