Milton Nascimento – “Dreams Do Not Age”
22 Oct, 2013
READ IN ENGLISH BELOW / LEIA EM PORTUGUÊS
By Alba Cabral
Celebrating a 50 year career, Milton took to the stage at the London Barbican Centre with the calm presence he has shown all his life. The jacket and dark glasses he wore put across a seriousness, but from the first song ‘Cravo e Canela’ his body loosened up and was comfortable throughout the performance.
One of the surprises of the night came when Milton called one of his four adopted children to the stage, referring to “children from whom we learn”. Pedro came on stage smiling, played the cavaquinho, sang confidently and left with a hug between father and son.
The repertoire, including Clube da Esquina II, Ponta de Areia, Vera Cruz, Maria Maria, Fé Cega and Faca Amolada, left the audience increasingly emotiona
Milton crossed the stage like he was in another place, with no formalities. Occasionally he turned his back to the audience and stood alongside soloists, bassist Gastão Villeroy, guitarist Wilson Lopes, pianist Kiko Continentino and drummer Lincoln Cheib, together forming an incredibly talented team.
The artist invited the audience to sing along with the band to Canção da América, sitting quietly with the microphone pointing towards the audience. He also paid tribute to his mother with the instrumental piece Lídia saying “there aren’t the words to describe my beautiful mother”.
Before the highly acclaimed BIS, there was an award (apparently) from the French Academy of Arts, which offered the singer a gold medal and honoured him as vice-president of the organisation. Milton seemed restrained, but read the declaration that had been put forward. Finally BIS became interested, with Raça e Travessia.
The evening also included a performance by conductor Letieres Leite Quinteto from Bahia, in the entrance hall of the Barbican. The support was by a band named Siba, a pernambucan singer and composer who has just released his album “Avante”.
