No Sertão, a pedra não sabe lecionar,
E se lecionasse, não ensinaria nada;
Lá não se  aprende a pedra: lá a pedra,
Uma pedra de nascença, entranha a alma.
João Cabral de Melo Neto, A educação pela pedra(*)

After watching the musical João do Vale – o poeta do povo, what is there to say? There is an euphoria and also the marvelous acting of Deuclides Gouvêa as the composer João do Vale (it has been a long time I've seen joy in an actor, playing in pleasure with his role), a delicate musical direction by Marco Aureh, the acting and the voice of Marcê Porena in memorable songs, the important initiative of Maria Helena Khüner, director and playwright, who idealized the project.

I shall confess: what gave us that state of euphoria is a feeling of recognition, value and admiration for the work of João do Vale. That is all the  reason for this musical's existence (and I wish we could see it for a long time).

We could not avoid a certain sadness despite the joy. How the work and the name of João do Vale can be  so unknown today to people, who sometimes, easily hum his songs? 

João do Vale, during his life, broke the limit of his anonymity. His sensibility and poetry would not be able to pass unnoticed even to us, Brazilian people, often so ignorant in our own history and our place in the world, that were the matrix of the "poet of the people", as the composer was known. He would be better known as the "poet of the resistance", but perhaps people – mainly the northeasterner – can be a real synonym of resistance. 

João Batista do Vale was born in Pedreiras, State of Maranhão, Northeast of Brazil, in October 11 1934.  He left home at 14 to start working.  He arrived in Rio de Janeiro in 1950, where he used to go to radio shows to get a chance to perform his songs. In 1953, the radio star Marlene recorded the song Estrela Miúda, Luís Viana and Dolores Duran also recorded some of João do Vale's songs at this time. In 1964,he took part of the show Opinião, directed by Oduvaldo Viana Filho, Paulo Pontes and Armando Costa, with the singers Zé Kéti and Nara Leão. He started to be recognized as the author of one of the most remarkable moments of the show: the song Carcará, in partnership with José Candido, performed by Maria Bethania. At this time, in 1965, he was invited twice to sing at the Nashville University.

Some of the most important artists of the Brazilian popular song have recorded João do Vale's songs:  Chico Buarque, Nara Leão, Tom Jobim, Gonzaguinha, Zé Ramalho, Marinês, Ivon Cury, among others.  He passed away in São Luís, capital of the Maranhão, in December 1996. 

It is really impressive, the history of this maranhense, semi-literate, and his poetic and musical expression, which shows an unique language, absorbing the phrases and sayings of the northeastern people, their stories of suffering and abandonment that João do Vale experienced so deeply – as when he was expelled from school just to give a vacancy to another child in a better economic condition, an episode which João would refer to with sorrow throughout his life. 

The musical João do Vale- o poeta do povo does not display great production resources but this absence is filled by creative stage solutions, transforming the empty into significant space which the cast, Marcê Porena, Deuclides Gouvêa and Rubens de Araújo, dance, sing,  and act the tragic and comic episodes of João do Vale's life and career. At the bottom of the stage, a video, serving as setting, shows images that speak to the scenes.  However, the actors' and musicians' (who sometimes act like the characters) performing strength is enough.

João do Vale is complete. Through his music, his poetry of active stone.  Through the artists' respect, talent and dedication, who know very well, as João himself: it is necessary to remove stones of the road to keep walking. And the sand ground of the Sertão, with his barefoot kids, spears to be so nearby. 

Watching João do Vale  - o poeta do povo, after all that, is almost a civic duty. 

(*) In the Sertão, the stone does not teach/ And if it does, it would be nothing/ There no one learns about the stone: there the stone/ Is the one we were born with, a stone penetrated in the soul.(non poetic translation by Andrea Carvalho)

João do Vale  - o poeta do povo
July 4 to September 1 at 7 pm
(Tuesdays  and Wednesdays, in July
Tuesdays to Fridays, from August on)

At: Teatro Sesi – Rio de Janeiro
Av. Graça Aranha , 1 - Centro
PH: (021) 2563-4166

Writing and Direction: Maria Helena Kühner
(based on the book by Márcio Paschoal)
Musical Direction: Marco Aureh
Lighting Designer:  Djalma Amaral
Production: Rômulo Rodrigues
Cast: Deuclides Gouvêa, Rubens Araújo and  Marcê Porena
Musicians: Marco Aureh, Leo Rugero, Paulinho Baqueta and Cacau Amaral

Take Note:
Marco Aureh, the musical director of the play João do Vale - o poeta do povo is going to perform Na Asa do Vento, a musical show with João do Vale songs, on July 14, 2006.

At:  Armazém Digital de Botafogo – Rio de Janeiro
Rua General Severiano, 97/108 - Rio Plaza Shopping
Ph: (21) 2101-9300