Exploring the intimate
world of Cesária Évora

Exclusive interview with Teófilo Chantre and José da Silva on the legacy of the Barefoot Diva

February 20, 2025

On Thursday, February 27, 2025, the Théâtre Maisonneuve at Place des Arts will come alive with the enchanting rhythms of Cesária Évora during the concert Tribute to the Barefoot Diva. This exceptional evening will celebrate the musical legacy of the legendary Cape Verdean singer, transporting Montreal audiences into the warm and moving world of the queen of morna.

Teófilo Chantre, longtime composer and collaborator of Cesária Évora, and José da Silva, her producer and manager, offer us an intimate glimpse into their collaboration with the legendary artist.

Bringing together contemporary talents such as Elida Almeida, Ceuzany, Lucibela, and Teófilo Chantre, along with former musicians of Cesária, this show promises not only to rekindle the flame of her timeless art but also to pass on to new generations the richness of a musical heritage that revolutionized the world stage. It’s a unique opportunity to rediscover the magic of sodade and perpetuate the spirit of the woman who, barefoot on stage, won hearts worldwide.

In an exclusive interview, we have the opportunity to chat with Teófilo Chantre, longtime composer and collaborator of Cesária Évora, as well as José da Silva, producer and manager of the famous singer. Together, they offer us an intimate look at their collaboration with the legendary artist and the lasting impact of her music on the Cape Verdean and international music scene.

Teófilo Chantre, born in 1964 on the island of São Nicolau in Cape Verde, is a singer-songwriter whose talent has left a mark on Cape Verdean music. He moved to France as a teenager and gained recognition in the 1990s through his collaboration with Cesária Évora, for whom he composed several iconic songs. His style blends traditional Cape Verdean rhythms, such as morna and coladeira, with jazz and bossa nova influences. As an accomplished artist, he has also pursued a prolific solo career, exploring themes like nostalgia, exile, and love through music deeply rooted in Cape Verdean culture.

José da Silva, also known as Djó da Silva, is an iconic figure in Cape Verdean music. Originally from Mindelo, he founded the Lusafrica label, which helped bring Cape Verdean music to international audiences. His encounter with Évora marked a turning point in both his career and hers, contributing to her rise on the world stage starting in the 1990s. Thanks to his intuition and market knowledge, José da Silva has launched many artists and continues to promote the cultural richness of Cape Verdean music. His commitment to Cape Verde’s musical heritage remains a source of inspiration for new generations of artists.

Through this interview, we discover a more intimate side of the Barefoot Diva, not only as an exceptional artist but also as a source of inspiration and symbol of Cape Verdean identity.

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WM: In your opinion, how did Cesária Évora redefine Cape Verdean music and inspire a new generation of artists, both in Cape Verde and internationally?

Teófilo Chantre: I believe she served as a voice for Cape Verdean music, bringing it beyond the Lusophone sphere. Her success, with a repertoire based mainly on traditional music, allowed younger generations like Elida, Ceuzany, and Lucibela to discover many classics and draw inspiration from them.

José da Silva: Cesária greatly valued tradition by recording her songs with excellent musicians and beautiful technique. She highlighted the emotion within Cape Verdean music.

WM: How does Cesária’s repertoire embody the soul and identity of the Cape Verdean people, and how is this legacy reflected in your current compositions?

Teófilo: Many of her songs reflect the experiences of Cape Verdeans, with their share of sorrows and joys. They’re rooted in everyday life or become universal when singing of disappointed love, separations, and the hope of reuniting when the time comes to return. A famous morna called “Hora di Bai” (The Hour of Departure) by Eugénio Tavares contains a passage that says: “without departure, there is no return.”

José: It’s a repertoire of songs written by the country’s best poets, such as Beleza, Manuel de Nova, and Teófilo Chantre. Unfortunately, today’s new songs don’t have the same poetic quality.

WM: Among all her interpretations, which song touches you particularly and why?

Teófilo: I really love the duet with Salif Keita in “Yamoré,” not only because I wrote the lyrics in Cape Verdean for Cesária, but also for the magnificent atmosphere of the musical accompaniment. The contrast between their voices creates captivating nuances that enrich the song.

José: For me, it’s also the duet with Salif Keita, bringing together two great African voices. Cesária put a lot of effort into singing this song, which wasn’t in her usual register. It’s the first time I saw her struggle in a studio. But when she heard the final result, she was very happy.

WM: Can you tell us about the moment when you first met Cesária Évora and how this encounter influenced your career?

Teófilo: We met in Paris in the early 1990s at a concert organized by a Cape Verdean association where we had been invited to sing. From there, José Da Silva, her producer, asked me to compose songs for her album “Miss Perfumado,” which was released in 1992.

José: Meeting Cesária was the chance of a lifetime. It was in Lisbon in 1986, I was on vacation and dining in a Cape Verdean restaurant where she was singing. I felt such a strong emotion, unlike anything I had ever felt before. So, during the intermission, I went to congratulate her, and while talking to her, I realized she had no plans for the future. I then suggested she come to Paris where I could help her, which she immediately accepted.

WM: How many songs have you composed for Cesária, and what are your three favourite songs, Teófilo?

Teófilo: Counting the compositions and adaptations of foreign songs into Cape Verdean, there must be about forty. “Luz Dum Estrela,” “Roma Criola,” and “Amor Di Mundo” are among my favourites.

WM: How do you manage, in your compositions, to capture Cesária’s unique essence and raw emotion while staying true to her on-stage identity?

Teófilo: When I composed for Cesária, I tried to recapture the feelings from my childhood experiences in Cape Verde when I listened to serenades with themes about disappointed or hopeful love. With the help of my father, Vitorino Chantre, as a lyricist, we composed some songs that talk about the condition of Cape Verdean women and their daily struggle to provide for their families.

WM: And you, José, as a manager, what lessons and inspirations have you drawn from your long collaboration with Cesária that continue to influence your work today?

José: I think the main lesson comes from how naturally she lived with her success while remaining true to herself. With her, I learned to be zen, patient. Today, nothing can shake up my life. I believe she brought me wisdom. If the emotional power of her singing came from her sincerity, I think I was able to amplify that emotion by choosing the right arrangers and musicians for her.

WM: What can the Montreal audience, who had the chance to see her several times, expect from this tribute concert?

Teófilo: With this project, we’re trying to convey a bit of her world by bringing her repertoire to life while respecting her memory. We perform her songs with the original arrangements and our own personalities, aiming to share some of the atmosphere of Cesária Evora’s concerts with an audience that loved her, and still loves her, but also to introduce her to younger generations.

José: The audience will be able to rediscover Cesária’s wonderful repertoire, performed by a new generation, always with great respect for what she built.

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The insights shared by Teófilo Chantre and José da Silva remind us of the importance of preserving the authenticity and emotion that was the strength of the Barefoot Diva. The show at Théâtre Maisonneuve will not only celebrate her memory but also convey the deep essence of Cape Verdean music, ensuring that this vibrant legacy continues to inspire and move generations to come.

Performers

Humberto Ramos, piano
Cesar Lima, guitar
Kiki Barbosa, cavaquinho
Djim Job, bass
Calou Jam, drums
Kose, saxophone
Russell William, trumpet

Cesária Évora Orchestra: Tribute to Cesária Évora

MONTREAL
February 27, 2025, 7:30 PM
Place des Arts | Théâtre Maisonneuve
1600 Saint-Urbain Street
514 842-2112 – 1 866 842-2112
Tickets

QUEBEC CITY
February 21, 2025 – 7:30 PM
Palais Montcalm
995 D’Youville Square
418 641-6040 – 1 877 641-6040
Tickets

TORONTO
February 22, 2025 – 8:00 PM
The Royal Conservatory, Koerner Hall
273 Bloor St W
416 408-0208
Tickets

Feature image: Courtesy of Traquen’Art

Tribute to Cesária Évora the Barefoot Diva
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