From “Overcoated Singing” to Brazilian song

rethinking Bel Canto in the Portuguese language

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.35699/2317-6377.2026.61842

Keywords:

Bel Canto, Brazilian art song, Operatic singing, National identity, Decolonial

Abstract

This article examines the relationship between Bel Canto and Brazilian art song, highlighting the tensions and convergences between European tradition and national identity. Drawing on Mário de Andrade’s critique of the “Overcoated Singing” it analyzes how the Italian technique dialogues with key aspects of the Portuguese language, such as prosody and nasality. Based on an interdisciplinary approach combining musicology, vocal pedagogy, and cultural theory—and drawing on authors such as Andrade, Santos, Miller, Bloem-Hubatka, and Carvalho—the study demonstrates that Bel Canto, when reinterpreted, can serve as a technical and expressive resource in Brazilian repertoire. It concludes that the integration of European heritage and national identity strengthens operatic singing in Portuguese as a distinctive practice, while also expanding its interpretative possibilities and reaffirming its role as a vehicle of cultural affirmation.

Author Biographies

  • Kaio Cesar Freitas Morais, University of the State of Santa Catarina, Brazil

    He is a permanent professor at the Waldemar de Almeida Music Institute (an institution of the State Government of Rio Grande do Norte), founder and director of the Natal Opera Academy, and president of the Águas Claras Institute of Opera and Fine Arts (Instagram @institutoaguasclaras). He holds a doctorate in music from the State University of Santa Catarina (UDESC), a master's degree in performance from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), and is a tenor, pianist, teacher, vocal coach, and producer. He has performed in several countries, notably with his repertoire in Portuguese and Mandarin. He specialized in the bel canto technique, the traditional Italian lyric singing technique, studying with Prof. Stefano Algieri at McGill University in Montreal (Canada). He researches bel canto and lyric singing in Portuguese.

  • Guilherme Antonio Sauerbronn de Barros, University of the State of Santa Catarina, Brazil

    He is a Full Professor at the State University of Santa Catarina (UDESC). A pianist, he has extensive experience as a chamber musician and conducts research in the areas of Schenkerian analysis and musical interpretation. He is editor-in-chief of the journal Orfeu (PPGMUS-UDESC) and President of TeMA –Brazilian Association of Musical Theory and Analysis. He holds a doctorate in Musicology from UNIRIO a master’s degree in Performance from UFRJ and is currently a visiting researcher at CUNY, in New York, under the supervision of L. Poundie Burstein.

References

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Bloem-Hubatka, Daniela. 2012. “The Old Italian School of Singing: A theoretical and practical guide.” Jefferson, NC: MC Farland and Company inc.

Carvalho, Marília do Espírito Santo. 2025. “Nordestinidade Musical Modal: Tons de Brasilidade em a Chegada dos Candangos, de Tom Jobim e Vinicius de Moraes.” Doctoral dissertation, Florianópolis: UDESC.

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Published

2026-03-11

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Vol. 27 (2026): General Topics

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Articles

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How to Cite

“From ‘Overcoated Singing’ to Brazilian Song: Rethinking Bel Canto in the Portuguese Language”. 2026. Per Musi 27 (March): 1-18. https://doi.org/10.35699/2317-6377.2026.61842.

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