Afonso, Marcelo: Rezadeiras do Brasil, for Soprano and Flute/Alto Flute Score

In Brazil, since the seventeenth century, the religious rezadeiras (a person who prays and blesses others, a supplicant) plays a very important role in Brazilian culture.  It is said that they know medicinal herbs have mystical powers through prayer.  Each tribe, village, and city has a rezadeira. They are still active, making all kinds of prayers, but most often ones to calm down stressed or devilish children. If parents are having trouble calming down hyper-active children, they often take the child to the rezadeira who, with her own ritual, would leave the child enchanted and at the same time frightened. Rezadeiras was written for Carole Ott and Tadeu Coelho in memory of rezadeira Olívia Rodrigues Garcia. It is also dedicated to all rezadeiras, who serving as spiritual psychologists, true patrimonies of humanity, have made great contributions to the history of Brazilian culture.