University Of São Paulo Filarmônica Exhibits Bach’s “Coffee Cantata”

The so -called Café Cantata ( Kaffeekantate , BWV 211), by the German composer Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750), was presented by the USP Filarmônica – an orchestra linked to the Faculty of Philosophy, Sciences and Letters of Ribeirão Preto (FFCLRP) of USP – in the November 29th, in Ribeirão Preto, and November 30th, in São Carlos.

Composed in 1734, in Leipzig, with lyrics by the German poet Christian Friedrich Henrici, known as Picander – the same author of the lyrics of Paixão Segundo São Mateus -, the Cantata do Caféis one of Bach’s vocal works with strong operatic characteristics, hence the fact that it is also usually staged. In it, Mr. Schlendrian urges his daughter, Liesgen, to stop drinking coffee, a drink she loves. After threatening – unsuccessfully – forbidding her to go out for walks, get jewelry and wear new dresses if she doesn’t stop with the mania, Schlendrian uses a last and extreme resource: if he doesn’t stop drinking coffee, he won’t find a husband for her. daughter. This threat takes effect, and Liesgen promises to stop drinking the drink. With this ends Picander’s text. However, Bach added two more movements on his own, modifying the outcome of the work with an unexpected and amusing action.

The presentation by the USP Filarmônica was conducted by Rubens Russomanno Ricciardi, principal conductor of the orchestra and professor at the Department of Music at FFCLRP, scenic direction by Ansgar Haag, costumes and scenography by Kerstin Jacobssen and choreography by Marisol Gallo. Schlendrian was interpreted by Luis Felipe Sousa and Liesgen, by Raquel Paulin. The narrator was Daniel Umbelino. Isis Alves Gallo Antonelli acted as a dancer.