O Teatro Magico is a gorgeously entertaining Brazilian band that could
romance any hard heart. Their amazing acoustic guitar elements, mixed
with violin, saxophone, guitars, bass, flutes and many other
instruments join together to create a graceful and smooth composition
in a uniquely poetic way.

Currently, they are running around the
country with shows booking out their diaries, but Fernando Anitelli
took time out to talk about his music, his aspirations, inspirations,
and whats in store for The Magic Theatre.

Every once in a
while you find musicians that pour every part of their heart and soul
into the music they make. musicians that feel music instead of simply
hearing it. O Teatro Magico is a perfect example of time taken to delve
into the depths of ones emotions. Its music in its better way of saying
it: made with truth, taking a chance to look around in a poetic, scenic
and musical way, and finding the best character of your 'every day
play.' Finding your own magic theatre and touching hope for a while.
Its also a time to think about the choices, chances and reasons why!

With
ten musicians pouring their heart into their songs for O Teatro Magico
for the past two years, its incredibly easy to get caught up in your
own soft, beautiful world through their music!

Fernando Anitelli leading O Teatro Magico at Cafe Uranus

It's
hard to believe that this fascinating band has only been around for two
years. So much work has gone into it since the beginning that they have
already achieved so much. Musically, I have my freedom to write and to
record everything in the way I want because there is not anyone giving
me orders to compose a three minute song, ready to be played on every
radio stationand that is already a great conquest. Believe me.

It
wasn't always like this. The idea for O Teatro Magico came two years
ago, Fernando explains. I had some material that I wanted to record
after reading Hermann Hesse. So, what I did was simple - I got all the
ideas that were able to tell the stories I was looking for and I put
them all together as a play. So we started recording the album treating
it as a play! The musical producer Ronaldo Rossato and I spent the year
of 2003 seeing each other every morning, working on this album.

I
called all my musician friends including Cordel do Fogo Encantado,
Simone Soul and many others so we had a participation of 30 friends at
the end of it. So I decided to make up a band that could be able to
reproduce what the other 30 guys had done in the studio! And that is
when we started performing!

Fernando describes the Brazilian
music scene as great. There are thousands of minds working on new,
interesting, and unique things. However, the problem is the media. It
is all taken by the big records. Most of the media groups face music as
a product first, but Fernando believes that it should be portrayed as
an expression - a word of joy and hope with a second of inspiration.

It
seemed the most appropriate choice for becoming accustomed to the
Brazilian music scene, therefore, to focus on live performance. We
started playing in an old theatre in downtown Now a great music hall
named BLEN BLEN has contacted us for four presentations! So it is like
an answer for our hard work that is it.

Fernando Anitelli leading O Teatro Magico at Cafe Uranus

If
anyone has heard the uplifting and incredibly enlightening songs from O
Teatro Magico like Pratododia and Zaluzejo, they will realise why the
audiences are so large! It would be literally impossible to stay off
your feet, dancing to the gorgeous sound!

The performances are
the only moment to show everything we are supposed to - to present the
idea of what The Magic Theatre is! We mix a bit of acting, juggling,
poetry declaiming and, of course, music! There is a specific moment
where we make music with the audience. The band starts playing anything
and I get into the crowd asking for words! So people start saying the
words they want anything! And we make music out of that! Things happen
during our performances, and this is the best it could get."

On
the latest CD, Fernando has really gone back to the early days of his
childhood for ideas. My family has been a great inspiration for this
album: the stories of my grandfather, my father playing pencil as
percussion on his teeth, the incredible wrong-words that an old woman
called Josilene Raimunda speaks during her days around us, my mom
yelling at me through the answer machine.

My greatest influences
are acoustic guitars - I also love to listen to sounds of tribes,
Indians, nature, anything that sounds real! And such a diverse range of
musical inspirations he has! Everything from Gilberto Gil, Simon and
Garfunkel, Dave Matthews, Mawaca, Chico Science, Lenine, Ben Harper and
Zeca Baleiro. No wonder they have such a unique sound!

Whats to
come for The Magic Theatre? I dont know Music can take us to a lot of
different roads - everything from having your own company; able to give
concerts anywhere, to becoming the culture minister of your own
country! Able to help and save our culture through music and other
types of expression!

Ah Maybe one day we will see a leader with
such a strong heart like these musicians that the positive cultural
impact on Brazil will be phenomenal.

The question of the day was one that left me feeling proud to have such amazing talent and passion within the music industry.

Why do you make music?

Because
it is my gift. I didnt want to face God and say 'Hey! Do you remember
that gift youve given me? Well, Ive made it my special hobby and Ive
spent my entire life working for a bank! I made a lot of money, bought
my own house, got a wife and a dog'

Probably God would say 'So what?' Well I do music, just because of that

If
you want to listen to any of O Teatro Magico's gorgeous tracks or find
out more information, visit www.oteatromagico.mus.br - performance
dates are also there.