Mariza, The Queen of Fado, Returns to the Chan Centre

The Chan Centre for the Performing Arts at the University of British Columbia (UBC) announces the return of Portuguese-Mozambican artist, Mariza, the living voice of fado on Wednesday, November 2, 2016 at 8pm in the Chan Shun Concert Hall. Mariza will share contemporary fado from her bold new album Mundo, a vibrant musical travelogue that journeys from Cape Verde to Spain, and from Argentina to Portugal.About the deeply personal album, Mariza recently noted, “This record is named Mundo which means ‘the world’ not because of all the travelling and all the concerts. It’s a ‘mundo’ because I’m inviting all of this music to give an understanding of me now, in this moment, what I am and what I feel about music. It’s about the person I am today…Having a child influenced me tremendously and this is why this is a completely different record from the other one. I’m more mature and I feel I have a different understanding about everything.”(All About Jazz, September 2016)

Mariza grew up listening to and singing fado music in the streets and tavernas of her native Lisbon. With a strong musical background in gospel, soul, and jazz, it was Mariza’s father who encouraged her to emphasize the traditional music of Portugal in her repertoire. In 1999, following the death of fado’s most beloved interpreter, Amalia Rodrigues, Mariza performed a broadcast tribute that soon led to the release of her first fado album in 2001, the acclaimed, Fado em Mim. Through impassioned concerts and additional recordings, including three Latin GRAMMY nominations for Concerto em Lisboa in 2007, Terra in 2008, and Mundo in 2016, Mariza continues to draw attention to this cherished musical genre making it an internationally recognized art form. In June 2016, Executiva Magazine recognized Mariza as one of the 20 most influential women in Portugal.

On Mundo, her sixth studio recording, Mariza worked with GRAMMY award-winning producer Javier Limón. A singer, songwriter, and record producer born and raised in Madrid, Spain, Limón is known for incorporating flamenco into his work, and has collaborated with acclaimed artists such as Anoushka Shankar, Buika, Yasmin Levy, and Eleftheria Arvanitaki, among others. Songlines Music Magazine named Mariza ‘Best Artist’ for Mundo, exclaiming “a bold and expansive ambition, brilliantly produced by serial world music collaborator Javier Limón. The heartbreaking ‘Sombra’ and the upbeat ‘Missangas’ are both reassuring examples of Mariza’s status as the queen of traditional fado.”

Accompanying Mariza on the Chan Centre stage will be her gifted band members José Manuel Neto on Portuguese guitar, Pedro Jóia on acoustic/classical guitar, Yami on acoustic bass guitar, and Vicky Marques on drums and percussion.

Chan Centre Connects Events (chancentre.com/connects)
A series of ancillary events programmed in conjunction with Chan Centre Presents performances, exploring the role of arts and artists in society.

• Pre-Show Talk with Elaine Avila – Wed Nov 2 / 7:15pm @ Royal Bank Cinema. Award-winning playwright Elaine Avila is currently in a three-year residency with Playwright’s Theatre Centre to write Portuguese plays. In advance of the Mariza concert, Elaine talks about the importance of fado music, her own Portuguese/Azorean heritage, and her newest work Lost in Fado.

About The Chan Centre for Performing Arts at UBC (chancentre.com)
Since 1997, The Chan Centre for the Performing Arts in UBC’s Arts & Culture District has earned an international reputation for its striking design, stellar acoustics, and exceptional programming. Artists, critics, and patrons alike are unanimous in their praise of the facility, winning it a place among North America’s premier performing arts venues. The Chan Centre boasts three unique venues: the superb Chan Shun Concert Hall, the dramatic Telus Studio Theatre, and the intimate Royal Bank Cinema. From classical, jazz, theatre, and opera to world music, the Chan Centre is a vital part of UBC campus life where artistic and academic disciplines merge to inspire new perspectives on life and culture. Past performers and guest speakers include Wynton Marsalis, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Renée Fleming, Dan Savage, Yo-Yo Ma, Anoushka Shankar, Sigur Rós, Mavis Staples, Lila Downs, Orquesta Buena Vista Social Club, Chick Corea and Herbie Hancock.