Talking to a friend of mine who's very partial about Milva, I told him Milva had been in Brazil twice in the 1960s. As I could not pinpoint the actual date I started on a quest to discover when Milva actually visited Brazil.
Milva actually missed the 'Italian invasion' of Brazil (1963-1967) altogether. In fact, Celly Campello, Brazilian queen of rock from 1959-1962, covered Milva's 'Flamenco rock' in 1962, as her last single before she got married and retired from the limelight. Celly's recording played a lot on the radio but Milva's original was never heard.
'Nessuno di voi' (Gorni Kramer-Pallavicini) was the first time I heard Milva. It was a track in a compilation album recorded live at the Festival di San Remo in 1966. 'San Remo '66' was produced by Brazilian DJ Miguel Vacccaro Netto using tapes of Radio Montecarlo which broadcast the event live.
'Flamenco rock' (Malgoni-Carlaggi) becomes ' Flamengo rock' (Malgoni-Romeu Nunes)
recorded 'live' straight from San Remo's Casino Auditorium.
original Cetra single.
I researched 'Intervalo' magazine for an answer and got it.
'Intervalo' n.221 says Milva would visit Brazil in April or May 1967.
six weeks later 'Intervalo' n.227 claims Milva had been signed by TV Tupi to perform in Sao Paulo, Rio, Brasilia and Porto Alegre.
'Intervalo' n.229 says Milva received a lot of money for her Brazilian tour; a 2nd note says Juca Chaves was Milva's constant partner while she stayed in Sao Paulo.
'Intervalo' n.230 actually shows photos of Milva while she visited the weekly magazine offices in May 1967.
These were the most popular TV programmes in Rio de Janeiro in the week Milva toured the country; 'Intervalo' n.230. As one can see Channel 4, TV Globo was already the top TV station in Rio. Channel 13 was TV Rio came as the runner-up.
Milva in the pages of 'Melodias' during her May 1967 visit; Milva met with Enza Flori and orchestra conductor Spósito both signed to Chantecler which distributed Ricordi in Brazil.
Milva was born Maria Ilva Biocalti in Goro, Italy on 17 July 1938, having enjoyed the height of her fame throughout the '60s and ’70s, also cultivating a fan base around the world. Famously referred to as “La Rossa” (the Redhead), given the colour of her hair, she recorded 173 albums throughout her life.
Milva died on 23rd April 2021, at home in Milano after a somewhat long illness.
Brazilian movie star Norma Benguel holds a copy of Milva's album at her home in Rome in 1963. La Benguel was impressed with Milva's style of singing and it shows in her smiling face...
