Friso van Daalen: Simone Menezes, do you remember your first encounter with the music of Heitor Villa-Lobos?

Simone Menezes: I first discovered his music as a child. It opened a door to classical music for me—but also to myself. As a South American, I immediately felt a connection: to nature, to rhythm, to the physical energy that resonates through his music. He touched something in me that I couldn’t yet name.

FvD: Villa-Lobos once said his works were like letters to posterity. What do you think is written in these letters?

SM: I find that idea very powerful. Villa-Lobos was someone who perceived the world with great awareness. At a time when classical music was largely focused on personal emotions and dramatic inner worlds, he understood that nature also has a voice—and that it sings. His music expresses that: it is a kind of documentation of what nature means and how it sounds. He didn’t compose about nature, he composed from within it. That’s what sets him apart from so many other composers. In Debussy’s La mer, for example, we hear how the composer perceives the sea. With Villa-Lobos, we hear how the sea itself might sound. That’s a profound difference!

FvD: In the project 'Amazônia', music by Heitor Villa-Lobos meets photographs by Sebastião Salgado. What happens when sound and image come together?

SM: A strong synergy emerges. Villa-Lobos’s music is already highly visual—almost cinematic. Salgado’s photographs are equally narrative. Together, they create an immersive experience: a journey into the Amazon region that is both emotionally resonant and artistically rich. Salgado spent over seven years photographing the Amazon and built an enormous archive. For this project, he listened to the music more than a hundred times. Then he paired each movement with a visual chapter: the overture with aerial forest views, other movements with images from inside the forest, or portraits of women and men, depending on the musical theme.

FvD: Would you say 'Amazônia' is also a political project?

SM: Not in the narrow sense. It's an artistic statement. But of course, art has an impact—perhaps even more than political messages. For me, it's about expressing responsibility: we are the gardeners of this planet. And if beauty can awaken that responsibility in us, then art has achieved its purpose. Beyond that, the project is deeply personal to me. I believe the Amazon and the music of Villa-Lobos are cultural treasures that are still too little seen and heard. This project brings them together—and I see it as my task to share them with as many people as possible.

FvD: Sebastião Salgado passed away in May this year. You knew each other well. What made him such a unique artist in your eyes?

SM: To me, he was one of the most significant artistic figures of our time. He witnessed war, poverty, and natural wonders—always with a profoundly humanistic gaze. Even his harshest images conveyed dignity. That blend of formal strength and deep compassion was truly unique.

FvD: You’ve performed 'Amazônia' in many places around the world. How do audiences respond to the project?

SM: Many leave the concert deeply moved. One reaction I often hear is: 'I suddenly felt very small.' The Amazon is immense and powerful—it puts things into perspective. People sense not only the fragility of nature, but also their own. That dual perspective gives the project its depth.

FvD: Is there a moment in the project that is particularly close to your heart?

SM: Yes—the beginning of the movement 'The Bird in the Forest.' Because the forest is so dense, Salgado couldn’t photograph birds well. So instead, he showed women at that point. One scene features a pregnant woman—serene, strong, beautiful. It’s the first time humans appear in the projections. And every time, that moment touches me deeply.

FvD: Simone Menezes, thank you very much for this conversation!

SM: Thank you. It was a pleasure.