6

TUESDAY

As summer creeps toward a humid close, do you find yourself dreaming about lounging in an outdoor cafe in some part of Europe, a sultry chanteuse crooning nearby? Though the rows of folding chairs in the Kennedy Center Grand Foyer may fail to quite evoke that atmosphere, close your eyes and Lura can make part of that fantasy come true. This 20-something was born and raised in Lisbon, Portugal, the daughter of Cape Verdean parents who left their island home for economic reasons. On Di Korpu Ku Alma (“Of Body and Soul”), Lura applies her vocals to French- and Portuguese-style cabaret ballads, upbeat African-derived batuku, Cape Verdean morna, and Brazil-influenced pop. And if Lura’s smooth Lusophone crooning to the accompaniment of piano, strings, and percussion is sometimes too polite, she dispenses enough charm to maintain a mystique. Lura plays at 6 p.m. on the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage, Grand Foyer. Free. (202) 467-4600. (SK)