Her history is linked with the developing of important escolas de samba (samba schools) from Rio de Janeiro, such as Prazer da Serrinha and Império Serrano. Her repertoire is comprised of mostly romantic sambas inspired by rootsy African music. Until 2000, she recorded only these 5 LPs and one CD. Dona Ivone Lara is the godmother of the group of composers at Império Serrano and participates in the carnival parades every year.
Dona Ivone Lara was born in Rio de Janeiro. She graduated in nursing, with specialization in Occupational Therapy, and worked as a social worker until she retired in 1977. With this professional background, she worked in psychiatric hospitals, where she knew Dr. Nise da Silveira.
With the death of her mother when she was three, and of her father when she was twelve, Dona Ivone was raised by aunts and uncles and with them she learned to play the cavaquinho. She was exposed to samba music at the side of her cousin Mestre Fuleiro; she took singing lessons from Lucília Villa-Lobos and was praised by Dona Lucília's husband, the Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos.
At the age of 25, she married Oscar Costa, son of Afredo Costa, the president of the Prazer da Serrinha samba school. At Prazer da Serrinha she met several composers who later became her partners in several compositions, among them Mano Décio da Viola e Silas de Oliveira.
Dona Ivone composed the samba Nasci para sofrer (Born To Suffer), which became the theme song of the samba school. When the samba school Império Serrano was founded in 1947, she began to parade in the ala das baianas (Wing of the Baianas) during carnaval parades. There she composed the samba Não me perguntes (Don't Ask Me),. Her consecration as a composer came in 1965, with Os cinco bailes da história do Rio (The Five Balls of the History of Rio) qwhen she became the first woman to become part of the ala de compositores (Wing of the Composers) of a samba school.
Retiring from nursing in 1977, she began to dedicate herself to her musical career. She continues to record and to perform before live audiences today. Among the interpreters of her songs are such singers and artists as Clara Nunes, Roberto Ribeiro, Maria Bethânia, Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil, Paula Toller, Paulinho da Viola, Beth Carvalho, Mariene de Castro e Roberta Sá.
Os Cinco Bailes da História do Rio
Dona Ivone Lara Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Carnaval
Doce ilusão
Dê-me um pouco de magia
De perfume e fantasia
E também de sedução
Quero sentir nas asas do infinito
Minha imaginação
Sedentos de orgia e desvario
Cantaremos em sonho
Cinco bailes na história do rio
Quando a cidade completava vinte anos de existência
Nosso povo dançou
Em seguida era promovida a capital
A corte festejou
Iluminado estava o salão
Na noite da coroação
Ali
No esplendor da alegria
A burguesia
Fez sua aclamação
Vibrando de emoção
Que luxo, a riqueza
Imperou com imponência
A beleza fez presença
Condecorando a independência
Ao erguer a minha taça
Com euforia
Brindei aquela linda valsa
Já no amanhecer do dia
A suntuosidade me acenava
E alegremente sorria
Algo acontecia
Era o fim da monarquia
In this song, Dona Ivone Lara sings about the Carnival, which represents a world of illusion and magic, and how she wants to be part of it, enveloped by perfume, fantasy, and seduction. Alongside her friend Orfeu, they sing about five historic balls that took place in Rio de Janeiro. They start by describing the celebrations that took place when Rio was only 20 years old and how the people danced to commemorate the occasion. The song then takes us to the time when Rio was promoted to the capital, and the court celebrated in a luxurious ball. Here, the bourgeoisie was able to show off their wealth and elegance. The third ball talked about in the song was the coronation of the king, where the aristocracy showed their support for the monarchy, and the beauty of the event was emphasized. In the fourth ball, we see the singer raising her glass in happiness to celebrate the beauty of the event. Finally, in the fifth ball, something was happening, and it was the end of the monarchy.
Line by Line Meaning
Lara...
Introduction of the singer Dona Ivone Lara.
Carnaval
Referring to the Carnival celebration in Rio de Janeiro.
Doce ilusão
Sweet illusion or fantasy.
Dê-me um pouco de magia
Asking for a bit of magic or enchantment.
De perfume e fantasia
Desiring scents and fantasies.
E também de sedução
Requesting for seduction as well.
Quero sentir nas asas do infinito
Wanting to feel the infinite possibilities.
Minha imaginação
Her imagination.
Eu e meu amigo orfeu
Her and her friend Orfeu, who is a reference to the Greek mythology figure.
Sedentos de orgia e desvario
Thirsty for orgies and debauchery.
Cantaremos em sonho
They will sing in a dream-like state.
Cinco bailes na história do rio
Referring to five important dances/events in Rio's history.
Quando a cidade completava vinte anos de existência
When the city was celebrating its 20th year of existence.
Nosso povo dançou
The people danced.
Em seguida era promovida a capital
Soon after, it became the capital of Brazil.
A corte festejou
The court celebrated.
Iluminado estava o salão
The hall was illuminated and bright.
Na noite da coroação
On the night of the coronation.
Ali
There, at the event.
No esplendor da alegria
In the splendor of happiness.
A burguesia
The bourgeoisie.
Fez sua aclamação
Cheered and celebrated.
Vibrando de emoção
Vibrating with emotion.
Que luxo, a riqueza
Luxury and wealth.
Imperou com imponência
Reigned with grandeur.
A beleza fez presença
Beauty was present.
Condecorando a independência
Honoring independence.
Ao erguer a minha taça
Raising her glass.
Com euforia
With excitement.
Brindei aquela linda valsa
Toasting to that beautiful waltz.
Já no amanhecer do dia
As the day was breaking.
A suntuosidade me acenava
The opulence beckoned her.
E alegremente sorria
And she was happily smiling.
Algo acontecia
Something was happening.
Era o fim da monarquia
It was the end of the monarchy.
Writer(s): Bacalhau, Silas de Oliveira, Dona Yvone Lara Copyright: Irmaos Vitale S.A. - Industria E Comercio
Contributed by Alex S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.