“In all of the many musical collaborations I have had during the last few years, my admiration for Manuela Freua has only increased, for her vocal qualities obviously, but even more so for her constant search for travelling the most arduous and challenging paths, without letting herself be tempted by the comforts of commonly known and easily successful repertoires. This way, planting more than waiting to harvest, Manuela is contributing to construct a better future in our musical Brazil.”
Music, text and the intimate relation between them both was what led Manuela Freua to exchange the piano, which had been her instrument since childhood, for singing. Passionate about what is uncommon, expressive, musical and theatrical, it didn’t take her long to become a specialist in chamber and modern and contemporary music, with free transit in popular music as well. The versatile singer from Sāo Paulo, Brazil, has performed pieces such as Pierrot Lunaire and Quartet no. 2 (Schoenberg), Le Marteau sans Maître (Boulez) and Kafka-Fragmente (Kurtág), along with the constant search for chamber music repertoire with uncommon combinations, such as voice and violin, voice and flute, voice and double bass, etc, as well as the exploration of repertoire that stimulates creativity, free vocality and experimentation.
She premiered as an Opera Singer in Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas in 2003 and has, since then, appeared in opera productions in Brazil’s main stages, such as Sāo Paulo’s Municipal Theatre, Sāo Pedro Theatre and Theatre Amazonas. In 2008 Manuela toured Japan alongside pianist Tomoko Nakayama. She has sung solo soprano in Beethoven’s 9th Symphony (OSPA), Mahler’s 8th Symphony (OSESP), Quartet no. 2, Pierrot Lunaire, (Schoenberg - OSESP), Mahler’s 4th (Percorso Ensemble), Bach’s Johannes Passion (OSM/Theatro Municipal de São Paulo) and was responsible for Brazilian premieres of Le Marteau sans Maître (Boulez - OSESP) e Kafka-Fragmente (Kurtág,Theatro Municipal de São Paulo). In 2018 she sang Folksongs (Berio - ORTHESP) and Björkca (Björk - OCA), a concert inspired on the music by Icelandic musician Björk. She was also Helena in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Britten - ORTHESP) and recorded her first CD, A Canção e o Violino (The Song and the Violin), alongside prestigious violinist Emmanuele Baldini.
Manuela has her degree in Music by UNESP (Sāo Paulo’s State University), Post-Graduate studies in Popular Song (Santa Marcelina School) and studies under professor Isabel Maresca. She has studied Chamber Music under Peter Dauelsberg and has studied, with a Vitae Scholarship, in Ferenc Liszt Academy in Budapest, Hungary.
Photo: Hermanas Vasconcelas