Meet Aurora Miranda, sister of Carmen Miranda, and explore her vibrant career in music and film that left a mark on Hollywood and Brazilian culture.
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Carmen ended up becoming the most famous of the Mirandas, but her sister Aurora was just as brilliant and talented. Born on April 20, 1915 in Rio de Janeiro, she began singing at a young age and accompanied her sister on her radio performances. At the age of 18, she received her first opportunity and would reach her peak at 26, when she sang alongside Zé Carioca and Donald Duck.
Six years younger than Carmen, Aurora had a great friend and companion in her sister and enjoyed listening to her sing with great masters. At the age of 18, she was invited to sing on Rádio Mayrink Veiga. It was 1932, and she was beginning a professional career. Josué de Barros intended to make her a singer as he had done with her sister 10 years earlier. She began performing on Programa Casé.
Alô Alô Carnaval
A little fearful but determined, Aurora accepted the challenge and the following year she was already on everyone’s lips because of the song “Cai cai globo” by Assis Valente, which she sang alongside Francisco Alves, the king of voice. The duo would repeat their success with the delightful “Você depois… Mente”. Recorded by the Odeon label, the song would become an instant hit, playing on every radio station in Brazil. During this period, the singer recorded 162 songs, appearing in 1936 alongside her sister in the film “Alô Alô Carnaval”. Wearing shiny clothes, made by Carmen herself, they sang the number “Cantoras do rádio” (Radio Singers), with João de Barro, Alberto Ribeiro and Lamartine Babo.
Os quindins de Iaiá
Aurora was very discreet about her private life, and in 1940 she married Gabriel. Already settled in the United States, Carmen gave her a ticket for her honeymoon, and insisted that her sister stay by her side. She agreed and began to perform in some concert venues. Carmen was also responsible for including her in some films. The most successful was The Three Caballeros (1944), an animated film in which she acts alongside Donald Duck and Zé Carioca, showing the beauties of Rio. While still in America, she appeared on radio programs with Orson Welles and Rudy Vallee.
Aurora’s greatest dream, however, was to have children. And she had two: Gabriel and Maria Paula. The disagreement with Carmen Miranda’s husband made her seriously consider returning to Brazil. Aurora did not understand how her sister could put up with the excesses of David Sebastien, Carmen’s husband. He forced her to do exhausting work between one show and another, causing the singer to become severely depressed.
Com Carmen no Rio de Janeiro
Carmen’s younger sister suffered when she saw her sister’s condition, but when she realized that she had lost the battle, she moved to Brazil with her children and husband. Her worries continued and it was with great sadness that she received the news of her sister’s premature death at the age of 46, due to a heart attack.
Upon returning to Brazil, she even sang in some concert venues, but that wasn’t exactly what she wanted. Aurora didn’t consider herself a star. She preferred a homely life and decided to dedicate herself to her family. The singer passed away on December 22, 2005, in Rio de Janeiro. She was 90 years old, had two children and seven grandchildren. She was buried in the São João Batista cemetery.
Writer, traveler and above all, curious about many subjects. She has studied cinema since 2002 and is a Specialist in Cinematographic Studies from UNICAP. Founder of the blog Purviance and the website Cinemaclássico. She loves Charles Chaplin, Raj Kapoor and constantly browses films from all over the world.
