Concert Features Unique Pairing of Brazilian Music and Dance

Image courtesy of Early Music Now.

Milwaukee’s Early Music Now organization seeks to transport audiences “Across Borders, Across Time.” A collaboration by the group with the vocal early music ensemble Aperi Animam and Danceworks Performance MKE with the exotic title “Terra Papagalli (Land of Parrots)” will be performed Friday, May 29, and Saturday, May 30. It features Brazilian music from the 18th century, some of it never before performed publicly, paired with bold, world-premiere contemporary dance works that respond to Brazil’s Baroque soundscape.

This unique musical joint venture was born in late 2025, when EMN artistic and executive director Charles Grosz learned that Brazilian musicologist Sérgio Dias had discovered manuscripts of music written in Brazil during the Baroque period. Hoping to bring these compositions to a Milwaukee audience, Grosz invited the singers of Aperi Animam, the dancers of Danceworks Performance MKE, and a small group of Baroque instrumentalists to shape a performance.

At the heart of this project is music that has, until now, remained largely silent. Drawing from manuscripts uncovered in archives across Brazil, Portugal and Italy, Dias has reconstructed a sweeping panorama of Brazilian colonial-era repertoire. “Some of these works were never played — ever,” he said. “The audience will hear a new repertoire, even though it was composed centuries ago. I have never seen this done before — bringing together musicians, singers and dancers for repertoire like this. Even in Brazil, this kind of collaboration with this music has not happened.”

Much of the program comprises sacred music for choir, strings and continuo. “Portugal, throughout the 18th century, was extremely linked to the Italian schools of musical production,” Dias explained. “Brazil, as a Portuguese colony, could not help but be influenced by such aesthetic currents. As for religion, both Portugal and Brazil had Roman Catholicism as their official creed.”

Dias noted that a 17th century map labeled Brazil as Terra Papagalli (Land of Parrots). That image inspired both the program title and the choreography of the dances that will accompany the music. According to Danceworks artistic director Christal Wagner, 15 dancers dressed in vibrantly colorful costumes will perform abstract moves that imitate the behavioral patterns of birds and wildlife. Expect marching flamingos, ostriches with outstretched wings dancing around each other and “the grandiose displays that birds make for the rest of the world,” Wagner said.

The geographic borders crossed to realize this collaborative event make for some challenging logistics. Under the direction of Dias, who is traveling from Brazil to conduct the concert, the Baroque orchestra and Aperi Animam will rehearse for the first time several days before the performance. After rehearsing with only MIDI files, the dancers will have their first opportunity to be immersed in “the emotional tone of the music” when they join the instrumental and choral ensembles the next day, Wagner said. She expects that all the partners will approach the compressed timetable with a “yes-and” spirit. And, if necessary, she said, “Dancers can improvise!”

Terra Papagalli will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 29, and 5 p.m. Saturday, May 30, at the UW-Milwaukee Helene Zelazo Center for the Performing Arts, 2419 E. Kenwood Blvd. Tickets are available online and at the door.

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