Biography
Formed under the leadership of choro mandolinist Joel Nascimento, also known as Joel do Bandolim, the ensemble Camerata Carioca emerged when he commissioned Radamés Gnattali in 1978 to adapt the composer’s suite “Retratos” for his existing choro regional. The resulting transcription shifted the group toward a chamber configuration that Hermínio Bello de Carvalho christened Camerata Carioca, thereby charting a fresh course for choro by weaving in erudite components. Building on the earlier Os Carioquinhas lineup of Raphael Rabello on seven-string violão, Maurício Carrilho on violão, Luciana Rabello on cavaquinho, and Celsinho on pandeiro, the new formation incorporated the solo violão of Luiz Otávio Braga; João Pedro Borges stepped in for Braga after the latter traveled to Japan with Paulo Moura just before the ensemble’s debut. In 1979 Joel and Gnattali presented the tribute program Tributo a Jacob do Bandolim across Curitiba PR, Rio de Janeiro RJ, and Brasília DF; the performances were captured and issued by WEA. The same year the group realized Gnattali’s transcription of Vivaldi’s Concerto grosso Op. 3 #11 in D minor together with Concerto No. 5: Seresteiro for piano and orchestra at Rio’s Teatro Municipal. Heightened rehearsal demands prompted the departure of Raphael and Luciana Rabello, whose places were taken by Luiz Otávio and Henrique Cazes while Beto Cazes assumed the percussion chair. The ensuing production Vivaldi and Pixinguinha, again featuring Gnattali, premiered at Curitiba’s Teatro Guaíra and was documented by Funarte in 1980. Camerata Carioca subsequently collaborated with vocalists including Elizeth Cardoso, soprano Maria Lúcia Godoy, and Nara Leão, launching the show Nasci Para Bailar with the latter late in 1982; that same year the ensemble contributed instrumental selections to Paulo Moura on Nara Leão’s Meu Samba Encabulado. May 1983 brought the well-received presentation Uma Rosa Para Pixinguinha, staged with Elizeth Cardoso and Radamés Gnattali; the concert was recorded live, released on LP, and later reissued on CD. Also in 1983 the album Tocar appeared on Polygram with Gnattali’s participation. August found the group touring the Northeast as part of the Pixinguinha Project and, in the same month, receiving the Shell prize at Rio’s Teatro Municipal in another collaboration with Gnattali and the Orquestra Sinfônica do Teatro Municipal. After numerous international tours, Camerata Carioca disbanded in May 1986.
Albums