•  IT SO HAPPENS I'M BAHIAN 
    18th Sept - end of Oct, 1953
    Casablanca*, Rio de Janeiro

    M Waldemar, 1990: «In Rio de Janeiro [in 1953] I was in a hotel when Dorival Caymmi called me to sing in radio Tupy**, for me to sing a song praising Rio. I was sitting on a bed, my students were sleeping, I learned and on the next day I sang a beautiful ladainha.»

    In the National Program of Capoeira, 1990

    M Waldemar, 1987: «I was the first mestre to go to Rio de Janeiro in 1953. It wasn't Bimba, it wasn't Pastinha, it wasn't anybody, it was me who was the first as my name is mestre Waldemar Rodrigues da Paixão.

    I was three months in Casa Branca [Casablanca, en White House], I arrived employed by this guy called Carlos Machado, there in Rio. I sang in Tupi, a ladainha which they asked me to study, a ladainha on the last minute. I arrived, learned, sang, it was a beautiful song, praising Rio de Janeiro.»

    M Negoativo: «And do you still remember this song to sing for us?»
    M Waldemar: «Yes, I remember. Give me a sip..»
    M Negoativo: «Your glass, mestre.»
    M Waldemar: «So I pulled this song to give the.. to show Dorival Caymi, that I sang, in his culture-show. He came and said: «Waldemar, you learn a song, a good capoeira ladainha to praise Rio de Janeiro.» I arrived and said:

    Iê!
    I was in the White House
    I was in the White House, oh my dear
    Without thinking, nor imagining
    When I had an invitation, oh iaiá
    To go and sing in Tupi
    When I arrived in Tupi
    With all the satisfaction
    They put me in a hall
    To sing capoeira
    In the radiotelevision
    Radiotelevision
    Is a proud reason
    He in Rio de Janeiro
    The marvellous city

    .. and he went crazy. Three berimbaus crying, I took twelve capoeiristas with me, all raised by me.»

    * club Casablanca, today Military Circle of Praia Vermelha
    ** TV Tupi was born in Rio in 1951

    An interview to M Negoativo in 1987

    The section starts at 5:29

    Military Circle, old Casablanca, in Rio de Janeiro


    • D. Caymmi show's poster

    • Newspaper Ultima Hora 7th September 1953

      "IT SO HAPPENS I'M BAHIAN"

      Great preparations in Casablanca for the next show. Carlos Machado doesn't rest. Walks from one side to another, takes care of this, takes car of that. Caimmy, Angela Maria, Teresinha, Austregesilo and Paulo Maurício (the cinematographical "Castro Alves") appear as the main figures of the spectacle.

      Wanting to give the most authenticity to the spectacle, Carlos Machado contracted in Bahia six "capoeira" figures (three "birimbaus" and three "capoeiras"). The six representatives of the leasure-activity should arrive today, on a plane.

      "It so happens I'm bahian", with the script by Antônio Maria, should open on 18th, with a benefit-premiere.

    • Newspaper Diario Carioca 8th September 1953

      Another atomic explosion!
      CARLOS MACHADO
      will launch his 4th bomb this year in
      CASABLANCA
      "IT SO HAPPENS I'M BAHIAN"
      Dorival Caymmi, Angela Maria, Quitandinha Serenaders, Theresa Austregésilo, Paulo Maurício, Anilsa Icony, Edmundo Carijó, Lord Chevalier, Vierinha, Antonio Maria, Paulo Soledade, Britinho and the Berimbaos and Capoeiras from Bahia.
      opens on Saturday 21st September

    • Newspapaer Ultima Hora 10th September 1953

      DELAY
      The "birimbaus" and the "capoeiras" contracted by Machado for the next show of Casablanca, "It so happens I'm bahian", and who were going to arrive on 1st, arrive today to Rio. They should land in Santos Dumont airport, at 2.30, on "Lóide-Aéreo" plane.

    • Newspaper Ultima Hora 19th September 1953

      ANILZA, THE SLEEPING MERMAID - The young and beautiful Anilza Leoni, is one of the main figures in the new Casablanca show, "It so happens I'm bahian", which opened yesterday in a gala-party for the benefit of the Santa Casa [hospital]. In "It so happens I'm bahian", which cast is led by Dorival Caymmi (all the spectacle's songs are his), Angela Maria and Terezinha Austregésilo, Anilza, with her pretty face and magnificient body, appear in many pictures and wear pretty costumes, such as this "mermaid" on the photos of the "Midnight Patrol", on 7th page of this section.

    • Newspaper Ultima Hora 29th September 1953

    • Newspaper Ultima Hora 29th September 1953

      "It so happens I'm bahian"

      After many cuts and changes, the spectacle of Casablanca was put into gear for good, since from the opening night, in that premiere for the benefit of the Santa Casa, the producer and manager of the "club" of Praia Vermelha was working in the last touches of "It so happens I'm bahian".

      In any case, even with the inicial flaws and the ones that were kept, the show always pleased us, in a general manner. Evidently, there are flaws in the spectacle; the show lack vigor and a good dose of humor, and the poet, Castro Alves, one of the sumblime glories of brazilian poetry, is left out in the homage, for another less excellent, but more musical, poet, Caymmi.

      But, as it is beautiful and compelling, this "It so happens I'm bahian", when it comes to the music and the lyris of Caymmi, music and lyrics tell us of the soul itself of the extraordinary and marvellous Bahia, the land of good people, of candomblé, of vatapás [stew], of capoeiras and berimbaus, of coconut water, of Amaralina and of Itapoã, of Agua dos Meninos [market] and Maria de São Pedro [restaurant].

      Antônio Maria, in his well-written text, and Caymmi, with his sorrowful and coy music, tell us all this... And they tell well, with emotion and love, one because loves Bahia and once made Bahia his homeland, the other, because is the Bahia itself.

      When it comes to the montage of "It so happens I'm bahian", everything was made in the molds of the spectacle of Carlos Machado - great artistic attractions. Caymmi (good), Angela Maria (singing better every time, but showing up little) and Terezinha Autregésilo (speaking alot and very fast), clothing of very good taste and women beautiful.

      The iniciative of the producer of Casablanca and of Monte Carlo should be emphazised for bringing to Rio, for the show, two "capoeiras" and two "berimbaus" of the old Bahia, responsible for one of the most delicious moments of the spectacle. - L.A.B.

    • Newspaper Ultima Hora 6th October 1953

    • Newspaper Ultima Hora 28th October 1953

    • Newspaper Ultima Hora 28th October 1953

      CASABLANCA

      [..] "IT SO HAPPENS I'M BAHIAN" (script by Antonio Maria) - presenting: DORIVAL CAYMMI, ANGELA MARIA, TEREZA AUSTREGESILO, QUITANDINHA SERENADERS, PAULO MAURICIO, ANILZA LEONY, EDMUNDO CARIJO', LORD CHEVALIER, the authentic CAPOEIRAS and BERIMBAUS from Bahia and more than twenty artists.

      [..]

    • Reinaldo Dias Leme, Antônio Maria, Araci de Almeida and Dorival Caymmi, club Casablanca, 1953

    • Casablanca, 1952

      Collection of http://www.jobim.org/caymmi

    • Caymmi, Angela Maria and Carlos Machado in Casablanca

      Caymmi, Angela Maria and Carlos Machado in a scene of the spectacle "It so happens I'm bahian". The piece, of Dorival Caymmi, Paulo Soledade and Antonio Maria, was made in Club Casablanca in Urca, Rio de Janeiro, in 1953

      Collection of http://www.jobim.org/caymmi

    • Dorival Caymmi among the cast of "It so happens I'm bahian"

      Dorival Caymmi with the case of "It so happens I'm bahian", a piece made in theatre Casablanca in Urca, in 1953. From left to right: Claude Bernie (Claudio Mirante), Dorival CAymmi, Paulo Gracindo, Dalva de Oliveira, her boyfriend and unidentified people.

      Collection of http://www.jobim.org/caymmi

    «It so happens I'm bahian», 1953


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