Dona Ivone Lara
Encyclopedia
Yvonne Lara da Costa, better known as Dona Ivone Lara, (Rio de Janeiro
, Brazil
, April 13, 1921) is a Brazilian singer and composer
.
, 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.
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, April 13, 1921) is a Brazilian singer and composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
.
Biography
Dona Ivone Lara graduated in nursingNursing
Nursing is a healthcare profession focused on the care of individuals, families, and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life from conception to death....
, with specialization in Occupational Therapy
Occupational therapy
Occupational therapy is a discipline that aims to promote health by enabling people to perform meaningful and purposeful activities. Occupational therapists work with individuals who suffer from a mentally, physically, developmentally, and/or emotionally disabling condition by utilizing treatments...
, 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
Nise da Silveira
Nise da Silveira was born in Maceió, in the northeastern state of Alagoas, Brazil, in 1905. After graduating from the Medical School of Bahia in 1926, she devoted her life to psychiatry and never was in agreement with the aggressive forms of treatment of her time such as commitment to psychiatric...
.
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
Cavaquinho
The cavaquinho is a small string instrument of the European guitar family with four wire or gut strings. It is also called machimbo, machim, machete , manchete or marchete, braguinha or braguinho, or cavaco.The most common tuning is D-G-B-D ; other tunings include D-A-B-E...
. She was exposed to samba
Samba
Samba is a Brazilian dance and musical genre originating in Bahia and with its roots in Brazil and Africa via the West African slave trade and African religious traditions. It is recognized around the world as a symbol of Brazil and the Brazilian Carnival...
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
Heitor Villa-Lobos
Heitor Villa-Lobos was a Brazilian composer, described as "the single most significant creative figure in 20th-century Brazilian art music". Villa-Lobos has become the best-known and most significant Latin American composer to date. He wrote numerous orchestral, chamber, instrumental and vocal works...
.
At the age of 25, she married Oscar Costa, son of Afredo Costa, the president of the Prazer da Serrinha
Prazer da Serrinha
Prazer da Serrinha is an extinct samba school of Serrinha, which is a community of Madureira and Vaz Lobo, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.- History :...
samba school
Samba school
A samba school is a club or dancing school. They practice and often perform in huge square-compounds devoted to practicing and exhibiting samba, an African-Brazilian dance. The schools are traditionally associated with a particular neighborhood, often shanty towns...
. At Prazer da Serrinha
Prazer da Serrinha
Prazer da Serrinha is an extinct samba school of Serrinha, which is a community of Madureira and Vaz Lobo, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.- History :...
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
Samba
Samba is a Brazilian dance and musical genre originating in Bahia and with its roots in Brazil and Africa via the West African slave trade and African religious traditions. It is recognized around the world as a symbol of Brazil and the Brazilian Carnival...
Nasci para sofrer (Born To Suffer), which became the theme song of the samba school. When the samba school Império Serrano
GRES Império Serrano
The Grêmio Recreativo Escola de Samba Império Serrano is a samba school of the city of Rio de Janeiro, that was created on March 23 of 1947 after a disagreement of the extinct samba school Prazer da Serrinha. It was nine times champion of the Carnaval and can be considered one of the most...
was founded in 1947, she began to parade in the ala das baianas (Wing of the Baianas) during carnaval
Carnival
Carnaval is a festive season which occurs immediately before Lent; the main events are usually during February. Carnaval typically involves a public celebration or parade combining some elements of a circus, mask and public street party...
parades. There she composed the samba
Samba
Samba is a Brazilian dance and musical genre originating in Bahia and with its roots in Brazil and Africa via the West African slave trade and African religious traditions. It is recognized around the world as a symbol of Brazil and the Brazilian Carnival...
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
Samba school
A samba school is a club or dancing school. They practice and often perform in huge square-compounds devoted to practicing and exhibiting samba, an African-Brazilian dance. The schools are traditionally associated with a particular neighborhood, often shanty towns...
.
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
Clara Nunes
Clara Nunes; August 12, 1943 – April 2, 1983) was a samba singer, regarded as one of the greatest of her generation. She became the first female singer in Brazil to sell over 100,000 copies, and her achievements in the samba genre earned her the title of "Queen of Samba".She had enormous...
, Roberto Ribeiro
Roberto Ribeiro
Dermeval Miranda Maciel, best known as Roberto Ribeiro. was a Brazilian samba singer.-Life:...
, Maria Bethânia
Maria Bethânia
Maria Bethânia Vianna Telles Veloso , better known as Maria Bethânia , is a singer and sister of Caetano Veloso. She started her career in Rio de Janeiro in 1964 with the show "Opinião"...
, Caetano Veloso
Caetano Veloso
Caetano Emanuel Viana Teles Veloso , better known as Caetano Veloso, is a Brazilian composer, singer, guitarist, writer, and political activist. Veloso first became known for his participation in the Brazilian musical movement Tropicalismo which encompassed theatre, poetry and music in the 1960s,...
, Gilberto Gil
Gilberto Gil
Gilberto Passos Gil Moreira , better known as Gilberto Gil or , is a Brazilian singer, guitarist, and songwriter, known for both his musical innovation and political commitment...
, Paula Toller
Paula Toller
Paula Toller is a Brazilian singer and songwriter. Toller is mainly known as the lead singer of Kid Abelha, one of Brazil's most popular music bands. In 1998, she released her self-titled first solo album, which was very well received...
, Paulinho da Viola
Paulinho da Viola
Paulinho da Viola is a Brazilian sambista, singer/songwriter, guitar, cavaquinho and mandolin player, known for his sophisticated harmonies and soft, gentle singing voice.-Biography:...
, Beth Carvalho
Beth Carvalho
Elizabeth Santos Leal de Carvalho is a Brazilian samba singer, guitarist, cavaquinist and composer.-Biography:...
, Mariene de Castro e Roberta Sá.
Discography
- 1970 - Sambão 70
- 1972 - Quem samba fica?
- 1974 - Samba minha verdade, minha raiz
- 1979 - Sorriso de criança
- 1980 - Serra dos meus sonhos dourados
- 1981 - Sorriso negro
- 1982 - Alegria minha gente
- 1985 - Ivone Lara
- 1986 - Arte do encontro (com Jovelina Pérola Negra)
- 1998 - Bodas de ouro
- 1999 - Um natal de samba (com Délcio Carvalho)
- 2001 - Nasci para sonhar e cantar
- 2004 - Sempre a cantar (com Toque de Prima)