Elvira Pagá

Elvira Olivieri Cozzolino (6 September 1920 – 8 May 2003), better known by her stage name Elvira Pagã, was a Brazilian vedette, actress, singer, writer, and painter. She was the first Rio Carnival Queen, the first woman to wear a bikini in public, and one of the first women to undergo cosmetic surgery in Brazil. Talented and controversial, she defied the status quo and challenged prevailing machismo with fearless audacity during the Brazilian military dictatorship and the revolutionary 1960s. In her later years, Pagã withdrew from public life, devoting herself to writing and painting, and eventually died in seclusion.

Biography

Early life

Elvira Olivieri Cozzolino was born on 6 September 1920 in Itararé, São Paulo, Brazil. She moved as a child with her family to Rio de Janeiro and attended the convent school Immaculate Conception. As a student, she organized events with her sister Rosina Pagã and members of Bando da Lua to establish connections with the artistic community in Rio.

In 1935, Elvira debuted with her sister on the show Cine Ipanema as the Pagã Sisters, with the master of ceremonies Heitor Beltrão. They also sang as a duo on Rádio Mayrink Veiga, That same year, the sisters made their film debut in the movie Alô Alô Carnaval,

Solo career

Elvira began a solo recording career with Continental Records of São Paulo in 1944. She released a 78 , accompanied by Conjunto Tocantins, interpreting the sambas "Arrastando o pé" by Peterpan and and "Samburá" by and . In 1945, she recorded a four-song album, unusual for the time, with the songs "E o mundo se distrai" and "Meu amor és tu" by Gadé, Almanir Grego and ; and the songs "Cabelo azul" and "Briga de peru" by and Herivelto Martins. That same year, she released a second album with two sambas, "Na feira do cais dourado" by Nelson Teixeira and Nelson Trigueiro, and "Um ranchinho na lua" by Babi de Oliveira. She continued recording and made other two films, In 1952, she was invited to appear at the Piauí centennial celebrations. However, the Catholic Church banned her appearance as immoral, causing the city to cancel her engagement. Then in 1954, she shocked her christmas card recipients by sending them a nude photograph of herself,

In the late 1950s, after numerous arrests, stalkings, and attacks both physically and from the media, she decided to retire and write a few books, including "Revelações" and "Vida e Morte". She also began painting and held a showing of twenty of her oil paintings.

Pagã died a recluse on 8 May 2003, but the press did not learn of her death until August. Não foi assim/Carnaval é Rei (1935) A boêmia da lua/Não beba tanto assim (1936) O samba começou (1937) Meu amor não me Deixou (1938) Quem e essa morena (1939) Eu sei ... (1940) Abana Baiana/Vai dormir criança (1941) Coco Dendê (1942) Encontrei um amor (1943) Maria (1946) Cassetete não (1951)

Solo career Source: Adao e Eva (1982) Eu e Cristo (1984) Eu e os mundos (1985)

Songs Source: A rainha da mata (with Antônio Valentim) Batuca daqui, batuca de lá (with Antônio Valentim) Cassetete, não! Condenada Marreta o bombo Reticências Saudade que vive em mim (with Antônio Valentim) Sou feliz (with M. Zamorano) Vamos pescar (with Antônio Valentim) Vela acesa (with Antônio Valentim and Orlando Gazzaneo) Viva los toros (with Orlando Gazzaneo)