Beatriz: more amazing Brazilian music for you (English Translation too!)

At the end of nearly every Portuguese class I teach we listen to a Brazilian song whose subject is related to what we just studied. I am passionate about Brazilian popular music (MPB: Música Popular Brasileira) and I want to share that passion with the students.

Of course more often than not, the students just listen to the songs as a curiosity, but last week I think they were moved by one of my many favorites, Beatriz, a song by the amazingly talented songwriter/lyricist/novelist/singer (he's not the best singer, but he sings OK) Chico Buarque in a partnership with Edu Lobo. The best interpretation of the song is by another amazing Brazilian singer, Milton Nascimento.

After my students seemed so touched by the song I went to research a little bit more about it and found out that it is part of a ballet called O Grande Circo Místico. The spectacle first took place in 1982, but the CD was not released until last year. The ballet has a great website (in Portuguese) which is where I learned what it is all about --  it's fascinating!

The inspiration came from a really crazy poem by Jorge de Lima which, in turn, was loosely based on a real story! The story of how the Knie Circus (nowadays, Switzerland's "national circus" -- site in German) and how this Austrian medical student fell in love with an equestrian acrobat (Agnes in real life, Beatriz in the ballet). If you're interested I can give more information in the comments (translating some of the circus' story from Portuguese). For now, I just want you to listen to this song... it's beyond lovely, I should include the lyrics and translation in the future too. Last see. I hope you like it!

Note: the slide show is really cheesy, so you don't have to look at it. ;-)



Spanish subtitles only:


Edited to add (on 3/22/2011):
Someone found this post Googling for the English translation of Beatriz and he emailed me to ask for a translation. Here is is:
Edited to correct the translation, see comment below (07/07/2014) -- thanks Jules!

Beatriz
(Edu Lobo/ Chico Buarque)

Look

I wonder,* is she a virgin?

I wonder, is she sad?

I wonder, is it the contrary?

I wonder, is it a painting?

The actress’ face

If she dances in the seventh heaven

If she believes it is another country

And what if she only memorizes her role

And what if I could enter her life

Look

I wonder, is it made of porcelain [or china]?

I wonder, is it made of ether?

I wonder, is it madness?

I wonder, is it a set decoration?

The actress’ house

If she lives in a sky-scraper

And what** if the walls are made of chalk

And what if what she cries in a hotel room

And what if I could enter her life

Yes, take me forever, Beatriz

Teach me not to walk with feet on the ground***

Forever is always by a thread

There, tell me how many disasters are there in my hand

Tell me if it is dangerous for us to be happy

Look

I wonder, is it a star?

I wonder, is it a lie?

I wonder, is it comedy?
I wonder, is it divine?

The actress’ life

If she one day falls from the sky

And what if the costumers [payers] demand an encore

And what if the archangel passes the hat around

And what if I could enter her life.

* Será means “will be,” but será que ela é cannot be readily conveyed in English. I have decided to use “I wonder” in spite of the fact that Será que is impersonal.
** I had originally translated "E se" literally as "And if..." but decided to add "what" because I think it makes more sense in English and makes the "wondering" of the narrator stronger. I made this change on 6/24/12

***she was a tight-rope walker on the play