Companhia Clara Andermatt

The musician and composer Orlando Barreto, better known as Pantera, was born on the island of Santiago, Cape Verde, in 1967 and died at the age of 33.

His daughter Darlene was only six years old when he died, but, over the last few years, her in-depth research into her father’s life and work, led her to challenge us to organise a tribute to him.

Pantera opened up new paths in his country’s music, with Cape Verde and its people resonating in his voice. By exploring the archipelago’s different traditions, he created perspicacious and assertive poetry that was full of love.

From these remaining traces of his life and music, we can build our own vision, based on the moments and experiences that we were able to share with him, as both a friend and an artist. Besides this chance to rediscover and remember his creativity and his affection, we can follow a path of exploration, delving into the customs and culture of his native land and never ceasing to project them into the contemporary world to which he also belonged.

This is, therefore, a show that has been built from memory. And, above all, it is an intense and dynamic experiment in collaboration. Each of the performers establishes a personal relationship in recalling their own experiences and offering us a creative wealth that is converted into the value and meaning of this tribute.

Between the great amount that still remains to be done and the great deal that has yet to be said, this is our message to Pantera.

Lisbon, October 2021

Clara Andermatt and João Lucas