O Teatro Mágico

O Teatro Mágico (The Magic Theater) is a Brazilian musical group formed in 2003. It was created in the city of Osasco, São Paulo State by Fernando Anitelli and his friends and artists who believed in it joined it. The group's purpose goes beyond music.^[1] O Teatro Mágico (TM) brings music, poetry, circus, literature, popular culture, and politics all together. Despite involving many artistic performances, the group is popular to every kind of audience, independent of age or social class.^[2]

The name

Anitelli was in another band called "Madalena 19", and, with the intention to gather money to record an album, he decided to go to the U.S. There, he worked as a waiter. He got to know Hermann Hesse's novel Steppenwolf, on which the protagonist run into a man who is advertising the "Magic Theater". From that he got the name for the album he was working on.^[3]

Musical Style and Influences

Fernando Anitelli said in an interview that their influences goes from the bands and singers Secos e Molhados, Dave Matthews Band, Antônio Nóbrega, Chico César, Tom Zé, Silvério Pessoa, Raul Seixas and Legião Urbana to the writers Hermann Hesse, Mário Quintana, Clarice Lispector, Denise Stoklos, Plínio Marcos.^[4]
The group is not only diverse in its genres, but also in its musical instruments. Some of these musical instruments are highlighted, such as guitar, violin, electric guitar, bass, drums, flute, DJs, and many others.

Fernando Anitelli and O Teatro Mágico

Fernando Anitelli created the project, and he is also the composer,one of the actors and musicians of the songs they present. There are 7 musicians and 3 artists from circus. It also has others singers’ participation in different songs. Anitelli and the project work without the support of a recording contract. However, they have some concerts which they received help from the city’s government.

Members

Musicians

• Fernando Anitelli
• Rafael dos Santos
• Luiz Galldino
• Silvio Depieri
• Daniel Santiago
• Thiago Espírito Santo
• Pedro Martins

Circus

• Wallace Alcantara
• Mateus Bonassa
• Andrea Barbour

Group philosophy

This groups has a philosophy. It started a movement called “Musicas Para Baixar – MPB” which means music for download, and it supports the free sharing of music online by Internet.

Awards and Records

• Best National Concert in 2007 by "Folha Nacional de São Paulo";
• Record of Audience in "Virada Cultural" 2007 (40,000 of people in São Paulo) and 30,000 in the same event in 2008 (record of audience for the time on the Sunday morning);
• More than 120,000 of their first album “O Teatro Mágico: "Entrada para Raros”;
• More than 50,000 copies of their second album "Segundo Ato";
• All their songs are available online. Their second album has a record of downloads in "Trama Virtual";
• Anitelli was at the World Social Forum 2009 and was invited by Landless Workers' Movement and by the World March of Women to sing in the reception ceremony for the presidents: Hugo Chavez, Fernando Lugo, Evo Morales, and Rafael Correa.
• The song "Nosso Castelo Pequeno" was indicated to the category "Hit of the Year" at the VMB 2012.

Notes