Vinicius de Moraes facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Vinícius de Moraes
Vinícius de Moraes in Paris (1970)
Born	Marcus Vinícius da Cruz e Mello Moraes (1913-10-19)19 October 1913 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Died	9 July 1980(1980-07-09) (aged 66) Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Pen name	"O Poetinha"
Occupation	Poet lyricist essayist playwright diplomat
Alma mater	Federal University of Rio de Janeiro
Literary movement	Modernism

Marcus Vinícius da Cruz e Mello Moraes (born October 19, 1913 – died July 9, 1980), known as Vinícius de Moraes, was a famous Brazilian poet, diplomat, songwriter, writer, musician, singer, and playwright. People often called him O Poetinha, which means "The little poet."

He worked with many different musicians, like Antônio Carlos Jobim. His words and songs were very important in creating and sharing bossa nova music with the world. He recorded many albums, often with other well-known artists. He also had a successful career as a Brazilian diplomat.

Early Life and Passions

Sculpture of Vinicius, honoring his song "Uma tarde em Itapuã".

Vinícius de Moraes was born in Gávea, a neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. His father, Clodoaldo da Silva Pereira Moraes, worked for the government. His mother, Lidia Cruz, was a homemaker and played the piano.

In 1916, his family moved to Botafogo. There, he went to Afrânio Peixoto Primary School. Later, his parents moved to Governador Island because of a local event, but Vinícius stayed in Botafogo to finish school. When he visited his parents, he met the talented composer Ary Bororo.

Starting in 1924, Vinícius attended St. Ignatius, a high school. He sang in the choir and wrote short plays. In 1927, he became friends with brothers Paulo and Haroldo Tapajós. Together, they wrote his first songs, which they performed at parties.

In 1929, he finished high school. His family moved back to Gávea. That same year, he started studying law at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ). He became friends with Otávio de Faria, a writer who encouraged Vinícius to write more.

Vinícius earned his degree in Legal and Social Sciences in 1933. Soon after, he published his first two poetry books: Caminho para a distancia ("Path into the Distance") and Forma e exegese ("Form and Exegesis"). These books were about Catholic mysticism.

In 1936, Vinícius became a film censor for the Ministry of Education and Health. Two years later, he won a scholarship to study English at Magdalen College, Oxford University in England. While there, he started writing poems in a more traditional style, using sonnets. He was part of a group of Brazilian writers called the "Generation of '45." This group preferred traditional writing styles over earlier modern art.

While in England, Vinícius wrote a poetry collection called Novos poemas ("New Poems"). He also married Beatriz Azevedo de Mello. They had two children, Suzana and Pedro. In 1941, he returned to Brazil. He worked as a film critic for a newspaper and for a public pension fund.

In 1943, Vinícius passed the test to become a diplomat. His first job was as a vice-consul at the Brazilian Consulate in Los Angeles, California. There, he published more poetry books, including Cinco elegias ("Five Elegies") and Poemas, sonetos e baladas ("Poems, Sonnets, and Ballads").

After his father passed away in 1950, he visited Brazil. He then returned to Los Angeles and published two more books. In the 1950s, Vinícius continued his diplomatic career, working in Paris and Rome.

Vinicius with Pierre Seghers, a French poet.

In 1951, Vinícius married Lila Maria Esquerdo e Boscoli. He also wrote film reviews for a newspaper. He was chosen to attend the Punta del Este film festival and to study how film festivals were managed in Europe. This was to help with the upcoming São Paulo Cinema Festival in Brazil.

In 1953, his third child, Georgiana, was born. His fourth child with Lila Maria was born in 1956. He moved to Paris as a diplomat. He released his first samba song, "Quando tu passas por mim" ("When You Pass By").

The next year, he wrote lyrics for classical music pieces. He became a well-known playwright with his musical Orfeu da Conceição ("Orpheus of the Conception") in 1956. This play was later made into the famous film Black Orpheus. He met pianist Tom Jobim, who wrote music for the play. Jobim wrote songs like "Se todos fossem iguais a você" ("If Others Were Like You").

At the end of 1956, Vinícius returned to France. In 1958, he was transferred to the Brazilian embassy in Montevideo. While in Brazil, he married Maria Lucia Proença.

The Birth of Bossa Nova

The album Canção do Amor Demais by Elizete Cardoso was very important for bossa nova music. It featured songs by Jobim and Moraes, including "Chega de Saudade". This album also included the then less known João Gilberto. With this record, Vinícius's music career truly began.

In August 1962, Vinícius performed as a singer for the first time with Jobim and Gilberto in Rio. These were his "pocket-shows," small performances where he introduced new songs. Many of these songs became international hits, like "Garota de Ipanema" ("The Girl from Ipanema") and "Samba da Benção". Vinícius also helped introduce new singers like Nara Leão. He wasn't a natural singer, but he used background singers to make the sound better. His time as an entertainer ended in 1963 when he returned to his diplomatic work.

His Work in Cinema

Vinícius's play Orfeu da Conceição was a new version of the story of Orpheus and Eurydice, set during the Rio carnival. It was made into the film Black Orpheus. This movie won an Academy Award in 1959 for Best Foreign Language Film. It also won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival and a British Academy Award in 1960. The film was made by France, Italy, and Brazil. It included "A felicidade" ("Happiness"), a song by Jobim and Moraes, which became a global hit.

His song "Samba da bênção" ("The Blessing Samba") was also used in the movie A Man and a Woman (1966), which also won an award at the Cannes film festival.

Later Years and Collaborations

In the 1960s and 1970s, Vinícius worked with guitarist Baden Powell on a series of songs called the Afro sambas. He also collaborated with Edu Lobo on the popular song "Arrastão," sung by Elis Regina.

In 1969, he was retired from his diplomatic job at age 55. Even though he was surprised, he found humor in the situation.

In the 1970s, Vinícius worked with guitarist and singer Antônio Pecci Filho, known as Toquinho. They created many musical and literary works together. He toured Europe with Chico Buarque and Nara Leão. He also toured Argentina with Dorival Caymmi and Oscar Castro-Neves.

His most lasting musical partnership was with Toquinho. They released many popular albums. Their live shows in Brazil and Europe were often like friendly gatherings. Vinícius would sit on stage at a table with a tablecloth and a bottle of whiskey. He would chat and tell funny stories to the audience in different languages, including French, English, Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese.

Legacy and Remembrance

Vinícius de Moraes passed away at his home in Rio de Janeiro on July 9, 1980, at 66 years old. He was with his wife, Gilda de Queirós Mattoso, and his friend Toquinho. He is buried in Rio de Janeiro's Cemitério São João Batista.

In 2006, Vinícius was honored by being officially reinstated to the Brazilian diplomatic corps after his death. In 2010, Brazil's government approved his promotion to Ambassador.

In December 2014, after a public vote, the 2016 Summer Olympics mascot was named Vinicius in his honor.

Discography

See also

In Spanish: Vinícius de Moraes para niños