Cristina Braga
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Cristina Braga

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"Cristina Braga in Kaisheim"


Freitag, 06. Februar 2009 Eintrittspreis: € 14,00
Beginn 20.00 Uhr

Weltklasse-Harfe
Cristina Braga mit Band
„Harpa Bossa Jazz“

www.cristinabraga.com





Sehnsucht, Sinnlichkeit und eine subtile Traurigkeit durchdringen die sanften Bossa-Lieder von Cristina Braga. Sie erinnern an die Copacabana und an das Girl von Ipanema.

50 Jahre nach dem Durchbruch des Bossa nova, einer Mischung aus Samba und Jazz, zeigt die Sängerin und bedeutendste Harfenistin Brasiliens, dass die Harfe nicht nur klassisch gespielt, sondern mit ihr auch die „brasilianische Seele“ ausgedrückt werden kann.

Begleitet wird Cristina Braga von Ehemann Ricardo Medeiros am Bass und von Florian Pfeifer (Percussion).



Cristina Braga studierte an der Universität von Rio de Janeiro klassische Harfe mit Auszeichnung (Gold Medal Award), ist „principal-harpist“ des Symphonie Orchesters in Rio, „member of the board of directors“ des „World Harp Congress“, organisiert Harfenfestivals in Brasilien und leitete europaweite Workshops in Zürich und München. Die Künstlerin hat 13 CD’s veröffentlicht und befindet sich auf einer Europatournee.

- Tadhaeus, Deutschland


"Cristina Braga in Bayreuth"



Veranstaltungen
Konzerte
Cristina Braga und ihr Trio
Harpa Bossa Jazz
Bayreuth, 31.01.2009, 20.30 Uhr
Cristina Braga ist eine der begabtesten Harfenistinnen von Brasilien. Sie ist erste Harfenistin der städtischen Oper von Rio de Janeiro (Teatro Municipal) und in ihrer Heimat sehr bekannt für ihre Arbeit mit “MPB” (música popular brasileira). Das Programm ihrer Tournee "harpa bossa jazz" umfasst ein Repertoire ausgewählter Werke des Bossa-Nova mit den bekanntesten brasilianischen Komponisten, die diesen Stil beeinflusst haben – Tom Jobim, Edu Lobo, Baden Powell, Egberto Gismonti, Villa-Lobos - und viele mehr.

Cristina Braga wollte diese Werke schon immer in einem Konzert zusammenführen und mit iher wundeschönen Musik die Vielseitigkeit der Harfe zeigen. Sie spielt auf zwei blauen Harfen - einer kleinen elektrischen, die im Stehen gespielt werden kann, und einer traditionellen Konzertharfe - und sie singt!

Cristina Braga stellt auf wunderbare und unvergessliche Weise den Unterschied zwischen ihrer zarten Bossa-Nova Stimme, und starken Improvisationen mit virtuoser Harfentechnik dar.

zurück zu den Veranstaltungen

Veranstaltungsstätte:
Podium am Gerberplatz
Gerberplatz 1
95445 Bayreuth
Lageplan
- Podium, Deutschland


"Cristina Braga a Dublin"

Ninth World Harp Congress

Dans Harpa Brasileira, Cristina Braga, cheveux longs et libres, les pieds nus aux commandes de sa magnifique Harpe Bleue, accompagnée de Ricardo Medeiros à la basse et de Noel Eccles aux percussions, nous a entrainé au son de ses rhythmes brésiliens et modern jazz, dans une jubilation collective, un hymne à la vie et à la fraternité qui s'est terminée en un éclatent final en compagnie du duo paraguayen, harpe et guitarre, de Celso Duarte et Marie Elena Lopez de Duarte. - HarpSeasons Autumn 2005


"Cristina Braga Harfe Bossa Nova"

(13.02.2009) - Birdland Neuburg

Wolkenloser, stahlblauer Himmel, endloses, weites, ruhiges Meer, weißer Sand - ein Bild der vollkommenen, wohlklingenden Stille. So könnte die Landschaft aussehen, zu der die brasilianische Harfenistin Cristina Braga jetzt im Birdland den Soundtrack lieferte.

Zusammen mit dem „oberbayrischen Schlagzeuger mit brasilianischer Seele“, verband sie so spielend, so leicht, so unbeschwert und froh zwei Dinge, die - jedes für sich gesehen schon schön - mit ihrer Hilfe fast überirdisch wirkten: Harfe und Bossa Nova, abgerundet nicht zuletzt durch eine wattewarme, teilweise fast gehauchte Stimme, in der die glückliche Verzweiflung darüber mitschwingt, dass man die Weite des Himmels, von dem sie singt, niemals begreifen wird.

Keiner vermisst bei der Gitarre das Volumen eines Kontrabasses. Im Gegenteil: Die Basstöne schwingen angenehm, gehen mehr in den Raum hinein, der Klangkörper gewinnt an Tiefe. Die Soli, die Medeiros gibt, fließen ihm leicht aus dem Handgelenk, gelegentlich stolpert man über eine Blue Note, die in ihrem Herausstechen angenehm auffällt. Luiz Bonfás „Manha de Carnaval“, eine Nummer, die nur zu oft durch interpretatorische Gemächlichkeit verliert, bekommt plötzlich einen Drive, dass man am liebsten dazu tanzen würde. Die Band jongliert mit der Dynamik, klingt ab, lebt wieder auf, und büßt trotzdem nichts an Präsenz ein.

„Ich habe mein Herz in deiner Handfläche gefunden“, übersetzt Braga Textstellen aus „Palma da Mao“, und auch, wenn keiner weiß, an welcher Stelle genau sie diesen Worten Töne gibt, jeder findet sich wieder, in der in sich ruhenden Dissonanz. Das darauf folgende „Insensatez“ war selten so intensiv. Die Melodielinie wird voll ausgekostet, die Harfe erschöpft sich in dem Gefühlssturm hinter der im Text geschilderten kalten Fassade eines Menschen, der eine Liebeserklärung still zurückweisen muss. Man hält die Luft an bis der letzte Ton verhallt ist.

Nach der Pause startet das Trio mit vollem Optimismus ins zweite Set. Da gibt es flirrende Arpeggien, abrupte, Akkordeinwürfe, transparente und zugleich virtuose Schlagzeugsoli und Heitor Villa-Lobos, wie man ihn noch nie gehört hat, Cristina Braga eine Urgewalt an Lebensfreude. Zum Schluss - geschickter könnte man eine Zugabe kaum wählen - das vielleicht unfreiwillige Charakterstück Jobims: The Girl from Ipanema. „Und wir haben noch eine CD“, sagt Braga. Aber darauf hätte sie nicht mehr hinweisen müssen. Das Publikum rannte ihr nach dem Abend nämlich förmlich die Bude ein. - Clara Fielder, NR - Deutsch


"Cristina Braga Harpa Bossa Nova"

(13.02.2009) Birdland, Neuburg

“Impecável céu azul sem nuvens, um mar sem fim, grande, calmo, areias brancas - imagem do som redondo e agradável da paz. Assim poderia ser a paisagem para a trilha sonora que a harpista Cristina Braga apresentou no Birdland. Junto com Ricardo Medeiros no violão baixo e Florian Pfeifer “o baterista de Oberbayern com alma brasileira” ela reuniu tão leve, tão sem culpa e feliz duas coisas – cada uma por si só bonitas – que com sua ajuda pareciam quase sobrenaturais: harpa e bossa-nova; arredondados, não por menos do que por uma voz quente como algodão, às vezes quase sussurrada, aonde o delicioso desespero estava em perceber que o céu distante de onde ela canta jamais será compreendido por nós.

Ninguém sente falta no violão baixo, do volume do contrabaixo. Ao contrário, os sons graves gingam agradáveis,vão mais fundo na sala, e o timbre ganha em profundidade. Os solos que Ricardo Medeiros fez, fluíram leves de seu pulso, às vezes parando numa blue note, que ressaltada desta forma soava especialmente atraente.Manhã de Carnaval de Luis Bonfá, um número que freqüentemente perde em interpretações desinteressantes, ganha um drive que desperta o desejo de levantar e dançar. A banda dribla com a dinâmica, toca mais leve, revive nos fortes,mas apesar disto não perde presença.

“Eu encontrei meu coração na palma da tua mão”, Braga traduz trechos de “Palma da Mão”, e mesmo se ninguém entende aonde exatamente estas palavras estão, todos se encontram na calma dissonância. A Insensatez que se seguiu raramente foi interpretada tão intensamente. A linha melódica é completamente desconstruída, a harpa se exaure numa tempestade de sentimentos atrás do texto que descreve a fachada fria de um ser humano que desdenha uma declaração de amor. Prende-se a respiração até que o último som tenha desaparecido.

Depois da pausa o trio volta com otimismo total para a segunda parte. Harpejos arrepiantes, , abruptas jogadas de acordes, solos de bateria claros e virtuosísticos e Heitor Villa Lobos como nunca se ouviu, Cristina é uma entidade em prazer de vida. Ao final – mais sábiamente não se poderia escolher o bis – a talvez obrigatória peça de Tom Jobim, Garota de Ipanema. “E nós temos um cd” diz Braga. Mas sobre isto ela nem precisaria falar. O público correu literalmente depois da apresentação comprando tudo de sua tenda. - Clara Fielder, NR - Português


"Cristina Braga Harp Bossa Nova"

(13.02.2009) Birdland, Neuburg

A cloud-free, deep blue sky, an endless, wide, calm sea, white sand - a picture perfect, melodious peace. This could be the landscape to which brazilian harpist Cristina Braga provided the soundtrack at the Birdland. With Ricardo Medeiros on electric bass guitar, and Florian Pfeifer “the drummer from Oberbayiern with a Brazilian soul”, she gathered, in such a light, guiltless and happy way two things that – being each of which beautiful by itself - with her approach produced an almost supernatural effect: harp and Bossa Nova. Those were smoothed by a voice warm as wool, sometimes anything more than a whisper, and then we perceived in delicious despair that the distant heaven from which she sings will never be understood.

In the presence of an acoustic bass guitar, nobody misses the powerful sound of the double bass. On the contrary, the bass notes swing nicely, going further into the room, and the sound gains in body depth. The solos that Medeiros performed flowed easily from his wrist, sometimes stopping on a blue note which, emphasized in this way, sounded particularly interesting. Luiz Bonfa’s "Black Orpheus", a piece that all too often loses its charm by insipid interpretations, accquires a drive that awakes in the audience a desire to stand up and dance. The band juggled with the dynamics, playing passages in pianissimo, coming alive again in the fortes, still never losing the personality.

"I found my heart in the palm of your hand", Braga translates the lyrics of "Palma da Mao" and, even though nobody knows exactly where each word appears, they seem to come together in a serene dissonance. The following "How Insensitive" was rarely so intense. The melody line is fully deconstructed, the harp exhausts itself in a storm of different feelings, behind the text that describes the cold facade of a man who disregards a love declaration. Breath is held until the last sound vanishes.

After the break, the trio returns with full optimism for the second set. Flickering arpeggios, abrupt chords poping up, transparent and virtuoso drum solos, and Heitor Villa-Lobos as it has never been heard, Cristina Braga an elemental force of life. Finally - one could hardly have a better choice for an encore - perhaps the most widely known piece of Jobim: The Girl from Ipanema. "And we still have a CD", says Braga. But she didn’t have to mention it. The crowd literally ran after them after the show and bought everything.

- Clara Fielder, "NR"


"Cristina Braga in Dublin"

Ninth World Harp Congress

In Harpa Brasileira, Cristina Braga, with long and natural hair, and shoeless feet in command of her magnificent Blue Harp, accompanied by Ricardo Medeiros on bass and Noel Eccles on percussion, transported us at the sound of her brazilian rhythms and modern jazz, into a collective jubilation, a hymn to life and to fraternity, which culminated in a spectacular comclusion in company of the paraguayan duo, harp and guitar, of Celso Duarte and Maria Elena Lopez Duarte.
- HarpSeasons


Discography

Recordings

1 – Introducing OPUS 5 (1989) – IMC Records
Released only in the USA, with original compositions, extensively sold in this
country.

2 – O Mundo é um Moinho (OPUS 5) (1992) – Imagem
Exclusively sambas and songs of Noel Rosa and Cartola, the harp showing for
the first time characteristic brazilian rhythmic and harmonic elements.

3 – Clássicos bem Temperados (OPUS 5) (1994) – Albatroz
The group OPUS 5, allways entirely dedicated for popular music, was invited by producer Roberto Menescal to record classical themes with a brazilian “swing”.

4 – Alianças (with Marcus Llerena-guitar) (1996) – Visom
Special arrangementes for this highly original duo

5 – Feliz Natal (1997) – Visom
Instrumental, with renowned Christmas tunes, with the instrument which best represents this particular time of the year. Also released in the USA (Merry Christmas)

6 – Bambu (Bambu) (1998) – CPC Umes
The quartet presents tunes from the brazilian folklore with modern arrangements, together with some original compositions.

7 – Natal Brasileiro (with Celine Imbert-soprano) (1998) – Visom
Brazilian as well as international Christmas songs

8 – Mais Perto Quero Estar (with Marcelo Bomfim-flute) (1999)
Rearranged old religious hymns

9 – Diga Aonde Vai (Bambu) (2000) – CPC Umes
Renowned as well as new composers in innovative arrangements, mixing the
harp with very typical brazilian percussion.

10 – Espelho Dágua (2001) – Visom
Exclusively instrumental work dedicated to the style known as “New Age”, presenting only original compositions. Released in Japan (“Water Mirror”) in 2002.

11 – Cortejo (2006) – Independent
For the first time Cristina acts also as a singer and composer. Most part of the titles are compositions of her, and the old brazilian “Jongo”, an African rhythm from which the samba derived, also appears.

11 – Paisagem (2007) – Biscoito Fino
For the first time Cristina acts also as a singer and composer. Most part of the titles are compositions of her, and the old brazilian “Jongo”, an African rhythm from which the samba derived, also appears.

Photos

Bio

Cristina Braga

WWW.CRISTINABRAGA.COM

Harpist and Singer

Cristina Braga has been consolidating her career as one of the most important harpists of Brazil. Working with various styles of both Classical and Popular music, she collects a total of ten recorded works, two of them also released in the USA. She also performs regularly as soloist with many Symphony Orchestras, has won several prizes and is currently principal harpist at the Theatro Municipal do Rio de Janeiro Symphony Orchestra.

From 1990 until 1993 she was a member of the Board of Directors of the World Harp Congress, and made several tournées in Europe, besides concerts in Israel and USA. She studied with Acácia Brazil at the “Escola de Música da UFRJ” (Rio de Janeiro Federal University) – where she graduated with a Gold Medal Award, and Susann MacDonald at Indiana University EUA.

In 2002 she was re-elected as director of the WHC-Geneva, organizing a workshop on brazilian rhythms on the harp and performing in a show at the prestigious Victoria Hall. She also performed in Zurich and Montreux, allways with outstanding recognition from the audiences. She was also the first harpist from latin america to teach and perform at the Munique Music School, invited by Prof. Helga Storck.

In Brazil Cristina has been to a large extent responsible for spreading out the posssibilities of her instrument, with works that show no fronteers for harp playing. She was the first harpist to record a samba CD in which the harp is responsible for the whole harmonic base (O Mundo é um Moinho, Sambas of Noel Rosa and Cartola – OPUS 5, 1992). She also played with the rock band “Os Titãs”, in the recording and show “Acústico”, thus emphasizing the presence of her instrument also on the so-called “pop” music segment.

Since 2003 she has been the organizer of the “Festival Vale do Café”, a festival of music, history and nature, in the mountains of the south of the state of Rio de Janeiro. In 2006 the festival included the 5th Latin-American Harp Festival, with musicians from all over Latin-America.

Cristina has also performed with many leading brazilian singers such as Nara Leão, Angela Maria, Peri Ribeiro, Moreira da Silva, Os Titãs, Zizi Possi, Lenine, Ana Carolina, Marisa Monte, Quarteto em Cy among others.