The Grêmio Recreativo Escola de Samba Portela in
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro ( , , ; literally 'River of January'), or simply Rio, is the capital of the state of the same name, Brazil's third-most populous state, and the second-most populous city in Brazil, after São Paulo. Listed by the GaWC as a b ...
,
Brazil
Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...
is a decorated, traditional
samba school
A samba school ( pt, Escola de samba) is a dancing, marching, and drumming (Samba Enredo) club. They practice and often perform in a huge square-Compound (enclosure), compounds ("quadras de samba") and are devoted to practicing and exhibiting sam ...
. It was champion of the 2017 Carnival parade and has the highest number of wins in the
top-tier Rio parade, with 22 titles in total.
History
At the start of the 20th century, in
Oswaldo Cruz
Oswaldo Gonçalves Cruz, better known as Oswaldo Cruz (; August 5, 1872 – February 11, 1917), was a Brazilian physician, pioneer bacteriologist, epidemiologist and public health officer and the founder of the Oswaldo Cruz Institute.
He occup ...
, a neighborhood in the city of Rio de Janeiro there was a carnivalesque group of dancers called ''Quem Fala de Nós Come Mosca'' literally translated as "Who talks about us eats flies". They were based in Dona Ester.
[Portelaweb]
/ref> A dissidence of this group of dancers (called "bloco" in Brazilian Portuguese) appeared in 1922 and another ''bloco'', the ''Baianinhas de Oswaldo Cruz'' ( Baianas of Oswaldo Cruz) was created.[ Later, a dissidence of Baianas created the ''Conjunto Carnavalesco Oswaldo Cruz'' (Carnaval Ensemble Oswaldo Cruz) on April 11, 1926.][ The founders were from Oswaldo Cruz however, Grêmio Recreativo Escola de Samba Portela was actually founded, on 412 Portela Road, in the neighborhood of Madureira.
After the victory of the concourse between ''sambistas'' in 1929, performed in the house of Zé Espinguela, the ''bloco'' changed its name to ''Quem nos Faz é o Capricho'' (Who makes us is caprice). In 1931, when the ]samba schools
A samba school ( pt, Escola de samba) is a dancing, marching, and drumming (Samba Enredo) club. They practice and often perform in a huge square-compounds ("quadras de samba") and are devoted to practicing and exhibiting samba, an Afro-Brazilian ...
were still being determined, the group changed its name again, this time to ''Vai como Pode'' (Go as you can). In 1935, the school was the champion of the first official parade of the city of Rio de Janeiro.[Official website]
/ref>
/ref>
The denomination "Vai como Pode" was used until 1935, when, after the Carnaval
Carnival is a Catholic Christian festive season that occurs before the liturgical season of Lent. The main events typically occur during February or early March, during the period historically known as Shrovetide (or Pre-Lent). Carnival typi ...
, on March 1 of 1935, on the occasion of the renovation of the licence of the school in the police, the officer Dulcídio Gonçalves refused to renovate the license with this name, considering it as vulgar and not dignified for a ''samba'' school. The same officer suggested a new name, ''Grêmio Recreativo e Escola de Samba Portela'', in homage to the street in Madureira where ''sambistas'' had gathered.[ The change pleased the community; many had already been referring to the school as the "folks from Portela". In 1939, the samba of Paulo da Portela, "Teste ao Samba" (Test for the samba), was considered the first ]samba-enredo
Samba-enredo, also known as samba de enredo, is a sub-genre of modern samba made specifically by a samba school for the festivities of Brazilian Carnival. It is a samba style that consists of a lyric and a melody created from a summary of the the ...
. In the same year, Portela renovated things by bringing to the parade costumes totally framed to the enredo (plot).[
In 1941, after a misunderstanding with the master of ceremonies Manuel Bambã, Paulo da Portela, the group, stopped parading. This occurred because Paulo, during a long period of time, argued that all of the components would parade correctly costumed, dressed with the colors of the school, however on the day of the parade he came back from a presentation in ]São Paulo
São Paulo (, ; Portuguese for 'Saint Paul') is the most populous city in Brazil, and is the capital of the state of São Paulo, the most populous and wealthiest Brazilian state, located in the country's Southeast Region. Listed by the GaWC a ...
, along with Heitor dos Prazeres and Cartola
Angenor de Oliveira, known as Cartola (Portuguese for top hat), (; October 11, 1908 – November 30, 1980) was a Brazilian singer, composer and poet considered to be a major figure in the development of samba.
Cartola composed, alone or with pa ...
, and all of them were dressed in black and white. With no time to change costumes, they agreed to parade without changing clothes, together, in the samba schools of each one. However, in the turn to parade for Portela, Bambã did not authorize that the other two (Heitor and Cartola), not being from the school and not being correctly dressed, would parade. Actually Bambã had already had misunderstandings with Heitor, that once belonged to Portela. However, at that time, many ''portelenses'' (people who liked Portela) favoured Bambã, because they judged lack of coherency on the part of Paulo da Portela, that argued so much that they should parade with the colours of the school and then parade with black and white. After this, Paulo da Portela never paraded for his school.
In total, Portela conquered 22 titles of Carnaval
Carnival is a Catholic Christian festive season that occurs before the liturgical season of Lent. The main events typically occur during February or early March, during the period historically known as Shrovetide (or Pre-Lent). Carnival typi ...
, being the school with the largest number of titles to date.[
Some of the great Brazilian ]samba
Samba (), also known as samba urbano carioca (''urban Carioca samba'') or simply samba carioca (''Carioca samba''), is a Brazilian music genre that originated in the Afro-Brazilian communities of Rio de Janeiro in the early 20th century. Havin ...
composers, such as Monarco, Zé Keti, Casquinha, Manacéa, Candeia, Aldir Blanc
Aldir Blanc Mendes (2 September 1946 – 4 May 2020) was a Brazilian author of ''crônicas'' (journalistic vignettes, chronicles) and lyricist. He co-composed many songs with singer-songwriter João Bosco, guitarist Guinga, and others.
Career ...
, Paulinho da Viola
Paulinho da Viola (born Paulo César Batista de Faria on 12 November 1942) () is a Brazilian '' sambista'', singer-songwriter, guitar, cavaquinho and mandolin player, known for his sophisticated harmonies and soft, gentle singing voice.
Biograph ...
, João Nogueira
João Nogueira (November 12, 1941 – June 5, 2000) was a Brazilian singer and composer, famous for his samba compositions. He was born in Rio de Janeiro.
His first composition, "Espera ó Nega" was recorded in 1968, however it was in 1970 tha ...
, Noca da Portela, Colombo, among others, beyond being one of the most traditional samba schools of Brazil
Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...
, worked for the school. Portela has an important participation in the cultural life of the city during the entire year, through the presentations of her Velha Guarda (Brazilian term for the oldest-ones (among a group of people)) and of her prizewinning bateria
The term ''bateria'' means “drum kit” in Portuguese and Spanish. In Brazil, the word is also used for a form of Brazilian samba band, the percussion band or rhythm section of a Samba School. It might also mean ''battery''.
''Baterias'' are ...
, among other things. The school's symbol is an eagle that in all the parades is seen in the ''abre alas'' (Brazilian term for car that opens the samba parade in Carnival) of the school. The Velha Guarda also released an album called Tudo Azul
''Tudo Azul'' is an album recorded in 1999 by the Velha Guarda da Portela (Portuguese for "Portela's Oldest-Ones"). The album was produced by famous Brazilian singer Marisa Monte, which is featured in one of the tracks. Tudo Azul features track ...
in 1999.
The bateria
The term ''bateria'' means “drum kit” in Portuguese and Spanish. In Brazil, the word is also used for a form of Brazilian samba band, the percussion band or rhythm section of a Samba School. It might also mean ''battery''.
''Baterias'' are ...
– called Tabajara do Samba (Tabajara
Tabajara were one of the Tupi tribes of indigenous people who lived on the easternmost portion of the Atlantic coast of northeast Brazil in the period before and during Portuguese colonization. Their territory included portions of the modern s ...
of Samba
Samba (), also known as samba urbano carioca (''urban Carioca samba'') or simply samba carioca (''Carioca samba''), is a Brazilian music genre that originated in the Afro-Brazilian communities of Rio de Janeiro in the early 20th century. Havin ...
) – is characterized mainly by the touch of the Surdo de Terceira invented by Sula in the 1940s, and the touch of the boxes with a peculiar frill. It is the most heavy bateria of the Carioca Carnival and counts on a big number of ''surdos'' (a type of drum) of First, Second, and Third. They were masters of GRES Portela: Master Betinho of the foundation in the 1960s, Master Cinco in the 1970s, Master Marçal in the 1980s, Mater Timbó in the 1990s, among others.
More than three decades later, Portela does not know how to win the carnival alone. From 1990, the school suffered many internal problems, that reflected on the parades and on the collocations of the parades. The best moment was in 1995 when the plot "Gosto que me enrosco" (I like when I twist myself) gave the vice-championship to the school of Madureira. In 2005, Portela stayed in 13th place, in the polemic parade where the school was prohibited to use their ''Velha Guarda''. In 2006, the school recovered and stayed in 7th place, and in 2007 with the plot about the 2007 Pan American Games
The 2007 Pan American Games, officially known as the XV Pan American Games, were a major continental multi-sport event that took place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from July 13 to 29, 2007. A total of 5,633 athletes from 42 National Olympic Com ...
(held in Rio de Janeiro) fell one step, staying in 8th place.
An opposition movement formed that promoted carreatas and various events through the neighborhood of Madureira, and culminated in the election of May 19, 2013, where the plate "Portela Verdade", formed by Serginho Procópio, composer and member of the old-guard, the police Marcos Falcon besides Monarco as president of honor of the plate, was approved by winning, beat then President Nilo Figueiredo, who announced the result that ended with 154 votes for Serginho, 151 Nile and 8 null votes.
In 2014, the team was presented: the carnival producer Alexandre Louzada, carnival director Luiz Carlos Bruno, the singer Wantuir in master-room Diogo Jesus and the porta bandeira Danielle Birth the Ghislaine Cavalcanti, choreographer of the front. The plot of 2014 "Um Rio, de Mar
Mar, mar or MAR may refer to:
Culture
* Mar or Mor, an honorific in Syriac
* Earl of Mar, an earldom in Scotland
* MAA (singer) (born 1986), Japanese
* Marathi language, by ISO 639-2 language code
* March, as an abbreviation for the third mon ...
a Mar. Do Valongo à Glória de São Sebastião" addressed how the carioca has adapted over the course of the transformations in the region between the waterfront and the Bairro da Glória (neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro), the blue and white made best parade in recent years, being considered one of the favorites. However they got the third place with 299 to 4 tenths of a champion. The result was celebrated by the board and twisted.
Already the plot was set for 2015, which was on the 450th anniversary of Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro ( , , ; literally 'River of January'), or simply Rio, is the capital of the state of the same name, Brazil's third-most populous state, and the second-most populous city in Brazil, after São Paulo. Listed by the GaWC as a b ...
. With the continuity of the carnival producer Alexandre Louzada and there is the acquisition of Wander Pires, who stood at the end of the theme song, being promoted to singer beside Wantuir, being one of its highlights the redemptive Eagle however with many ups and downs, the school managed the 5th placing. In 2016, the school brought the notorious Paulo Barros changing the direction of harmony.
After the 2016 carnival Marcos Falcon won the vote of the school and became president of the school after serving as vice-president. But months after taking office, he resigned to run in the city council elections. As a result, the 2017 general championship, the first in 33 years, was the first school victory under historian Luis Carlos Magalhãe, who assumed the presidency in the spring of 2016.
Classifications
Championships and awards
Portela is the record samba school of Carnaval titles of Rio de Janeiro, being general champion for 22 times: 1935, 1939, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1944, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1951 (UGESB), 1953, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1962, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1980, 1984 and 2017.The school got runner up honors in the following years: 1937, 1949, 1950, 1956, 1971, 1974, 1977, 1982, 1983, and 1995.
The school accumulates a total of 52 Estandarte de Ouro (Gold Standards), prize conceded by the newspaper O Globo
''O Globo'' (, ''The Globe'') is a Brazilian newspaper based in Rio de Janeiro. ''O Globo'' is the most prominent print publication in the Grupo Globo media conglomerate.
Founded by journalist Irineu Marinho, owner of ''A Noite'', it was orig ...
:
*1972: Drum Block
*1973: Feminine notability (Tia Vicentina)
*1974: Ala (of baianas) and master of ceremonies (Bagdá)
*1975: Samba-enredo
*1976: School
*1977: Standard-bearer (Vilma Nascimento) and feminine dancer (Nega Pelé)
*1978: Standard-bearer (Vilma Nascimento) and masculine dancer (Jerônimo)
*1979: School, samba-enredo, ala (velha-guarda), standard-bearer (Vilma Nascimento), feminine dancer (Denise) and masculine dancer (Marcelo)
*1980: School, audience impact and feminine dancer (Nívea)
*1981: Best Front commission and samba-enredo
*1982: Best Front commission
*1983: Leading singer of the samba parade (Silvinho)
*1986: Best Drum Block, feminine notability (Dodô) and ala (Luxo do Lixo)
*1987: Samba-enredo
*1988: Masculine dancer(Gilson)
*1990: Feminine dancer (Solange Couto)
*1991: Samba-enredo, front commission, revelation (Patrícia) and ala (of queens)
*1995: School, samba-enredo and leading singer of the parade ( Rixxa)
*1998: Samba-enredo and masculine dancer (Cláudio Lima)
*2001: Commission of front
*2004: Personality (Dodô)
*2005: Revelation (Bruno Ribas
Bruno may refer to:
People and fictional characters
*Bruno (name), including lists of people and fictional characters with either the given name or surname
* Bruno, Duke of Saxony (died 880)
* Bruno the Great (925–965), Archbishop of Cologne, ...
)
*2006: Revelation (Nilo Sérgio)
*2007: Revelation (Alessandra Bessa) and masculine dancer (Ruanderson)
*2008: Female dancer
*2010: Drum Block
*2012: Drum Block, leading singer of the parade, samba-enredo and best dancers (male and female)
*2013: Drum Block
*2014: Ala (Senior Women's')
*2015: Revelation (Alex Marcelino)
*2016: Personality (Monarco)
Notable Portelenses
* Aldir Blanc
Aldir Blanc Mendes (2 September 1946 – 4 May 2020) was a Brazilian author of ''crônicas'' (journalistic vignettes, chronicles) and lyricist. He co-composed many songs with singer-songwriter João Bosco, guitarist Guinga, and others.
Career ...
* Alexandre Louzada
* Agepê
Antônio Gilson Porfírio (August 10, 1942 – August 30, 1995), better known as Agepê, was a Brazilian singer and composer. His nickname consists of the initials ''AGP'', of his name.
His discography is characterized by a romantic and sensua ...
* Ana Paula Araújo
* Argemiro Patrocínio
* Candeia
Antônio Candeia Filho better known as Candeia (August 17, 1935 – November 16, 1978) was a Brazilian samba singer, songwriter, and musician.
Early life
Born in Rio de Janeiro to Antonia Candeio and Dona Maria, Antonio was a renowned flautist ...
* Carla Vilhena
* Carlinhos Brown
Antônio Carlos Santos de Freitas, known professionally as Carlinhos Brown (Brazilian Portuguese: /kaʁˈlĩɲus bɾaw̃, -iɲuʃ/, 23 November 1962), is a Brazilian singer, percussionist, and record producer from Salvador, Bahia. His musica ...
* Carlos Roberto
* Casquinha
* Clara Nunes
Clara Nunes (, August 12, 1942 – April 2, 1983) was a Brazilian samba and MPB singer, considered one of the greatest of her generation. She was the first female singer in Brazil to sell over 100,000 copies of a record,
* Clementina de Jesus
Clementina de Jesus (February 7, 1901 – July 19, 1987) was a Brazilian samba singer born in Valença, Brazil.
Biography
Born in Carambita, a district on the outskirts of Valença,
* Dejan Petković
Dejan Petković ( sr-Cyrl, Дејан Петковић, ; born 10 September 1972) is a Serbian football pundit and retired footballer. In his native country he is widely known under the nickname Rambo while in Brazil he is known as Pet. He played ...
* Diogo Nogueira
Diogo Nogueira (born Rio de Janeiro, 1981) is a singer and songwriter from Brazil. He is the son of composer João Nogueira and Ângela Maria Nogueira. He was a samba musician throughout childhood and adolescence, but became a football player.
A ...
* Dodô da Portela
Maria das Dores Alves Rodrigues, better known as Dodô da Portela (1920 — 2015), was a famous flag bearer for the Portela samba school, the most successful school in the annual Rio de Janeiro Carnival in Brazil.
Early life
Maria das Dores Al ...
* Eduardo Paes
Eduardo da Costa Paes (, born 14 November 1969) is a Brazilian politician who was the mayor of the city of Rio de Janeiro from 2009 to 2012, re-elected for a second term from 2013 to 2016 and returning elected again in 2021. He is currently t ...
* Gilberto Gil
Gilberto Passos Gil Moreira (; born 26 June 1942), is a Brazilian singer-songwriter and politician, known for both his musical innovation and political activism. From 2003 to 2008, he served as Brazil's Minister of Culture in the administration ...
* Glória Pires
Glória Maria Cláudia Pires de Morais (; born 23 August 1963) is a Brazilian actress. She is best known for her roles in TV Globo telenovelas such as '' Dancin' Days'', ''Vale Tudo'', ''Mulheres de Areia'' and ''O Rei do Gado''. She is also know ...
* Heitor dos Prazeres
* Hilário Jovino Ferreira
* Jair do Cavaco
* João Nogueira
João Nogueira (November 12, 1941 – June 5, 2000) was a Brazilian singer and composer, famous for his samba compositions. He was born in Rio de Janeiro.
His first composition, "Espera ó Nega" was recorded in 1968, however it was in 1970 tha ...
* Juliana Diniz
* Luiz Ayrão
* Luma de Oliveira
Luma de Oliveira (; Nova Friburgo, Rio de Janeiro, December 10, 1964) is a former model, actress and Brazilian carnival queen. She was ''Madrinha da Bateria'' (Godmother of the Percussion, "Queen of the Drums") for a number of samba schools up ...
* Manacéa
* Maria Rita
Maria Rita (; born 9 September 1977, São Paulo) is a Brazilian singer. Born Maria Rita Camargo Mariano, she is the daughter of famed pianist/arranger César Camargo Mariano and the late Brazilian singing legend Elis Regina and sister to Ped ...
* Marisa Monte
Marisa de Azevedo Monte (Brazilian Portuguese: /maˈɾizɐ dʒi azeˈvedu ˈmõtʃi/) (born 1 July 1967) is a Brazilian singer, composer, instrumentalist, and producer of Brazilian popular music and samba. As of 2011, she had sold 10 milli ...
* Mauro Diniz Mauro Diniz (born 1952) is a Brazilian professional cavaquinist. He also has a career as a songwriter and singer.
Biography
Born in 1952 in one of the most traditional neighborhoods of carioca samba, Oswaldo Cruz, at the age of 4 he stayed between ...
* Monarco
* Noca da Portela
* Paulinho da Costa
* Paulinho da Viola
Paulinho da Viola (born Paulo César Batista de Faria on 12 November 1942) () is a Brazilian '' sambista'', singer-songwriter, guitar, cavaquinho and mandolin player, known for his sophisticated harmonies and soft, gentle singing voice.
Biograph ...
* Paulo César Pinheiro
* Sheron Menezes
* Teresa Cristina
* Tia Doca
* Tia Surica
Iranette Ferreira Barcellos (known as Tia Surica or Aunt Surica; born November 17, 1940, in Madureira (Rio de Janeiro), Madureira, Brazil) is a Brazilian samba singer and actress.
Biography
Surica was born in Madureira (Rio de Janeiro), Madure ...
* Wilson Moreira
Wilson Moreira (12 December 1936 – 6 September 2018) was a Brazilian '' sambista''.
Biography
Moreira was born in the neighborhood of Realengo, in Rio de Janeiro. As a teenager he was associated with the samba school Mocidade, where he won tw ...
* Zeca Pagodinho
Jessé Gomes da Silva Filho, known professionally as Zeca Pagodinho (, born February 4, 1959), is a Brazilian singer-songwriter working in the genres of samba and pagode.
Biography
Born in the neighborhood of Irajá, Rio de Janeiro, Zeca Pagodin ...
* Zé Keti
References
External links
*
Torcida Organizada Guerreiros da Águia
{{Authority control
Samba schools of Rio de Janeiro