Breno Mello
Encyclopedia
Breno Mello was an athlete and actor.
He was born in Porto Alegre
, the capital of Rio Grande do Sul
, a state of Southern Brazil. In the beginning of his career, Breno Mello was a soccer player. He played soccer in Gremio and Fluminense, where he met Pelé
. While he was playing in Rio de Janeiro
, he was invited by Marcel Camus to star the first version of Orfeu Negro (Black Orpheus). Breno Mello was best known for his role as Orpheus in the Palme d'Or
winning film Black Orpheus
, in which he sang the now famous Bossa nova
songs "A Felicidade" and "Manhã de Carnaval" (also known as "A Day in the Life of a Fool").
Mello also lived in Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, where he met Amelina Santos Corrêa, also known as Mana. He had his youngest daughter, Letícia with her.
Until 2004, Mello had stepped away from acting and there had been a search for him to appear in the documentary "À la recherche d'Orfeu Negro" (in which he portrayed himself) to talk about the impact that the movie Black Orpheus had on the world of Brazilian music, such as Bossa Nova and samba
. Mello died in his hometown of Porto Alegre
, Brazil, at the age of 76 years on July 11, 2008 from a heart attack. His Black Orpheus co-star American-born actress Marpessa Dawn
, died 42 days later of a heart attack, in Paris, France. Dawn was 74.
He was born in Porto Alegre
Porto Alegre
Porto Alegre is the tenth most populous municipality in Brazil, with 1,409,939 inhabitants, and the centre of Brazil's fourth largest metropolitan area . It is also the capital city of the southernmost Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul. The city is the southernmost capital city of a Brazilian...
, the capital of Rio Grande do Sul
Rio Grande do Sul
Rio Grande do Sul is the southernmost state in Brazil, and the state with the fifth highest Human Development Index in the country. In this state is located the southernmost city in the country, Chuí, on the border with Uruguay. In the region of Bento Gonçalves and Caxias do Sul, the largest wine...
, a state of Southern Brazil. In the beginning of his career, Breno Mello was a soccer player. He played soccer in Gremio and Fluminense, where he met Pelé
Pelé
However, Pelé has always maintained that those are mistakes, that he was actually named Edson and that he was born on 23 October 1940.), best known by his nickname Pelé , is a retired Brazilian footballer. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest football players of all time...
. While he was playing in Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
, he was invited by Marcel Camus to star the first version of Orfeu Negro (Black Orpheus). Breno Mello was best known for his role as Orpheus in the Palme d'Or
Palme d'Or
The Palme d'Or is the highest prize awarded at the Cannes Film Festival and is presented to the director of the best feature film of the official competition. It was introduced in 1955 by the organising committee. From 1939 to 1954, the highest prize was the Grand Prix du Festival International du...
winning film Black Orpheus
Black Orpheus
Black Orpheus is a 1959 film made in Brazil by French director Marcel Camus. It is based on the play Orfeu da Conceição by Vinicius de Moraes, which is an adaptation of the Greek legend of Orpheus and Eurydice, setting it in the modern context of a favela in Rio de Janeiro during the Carnaval...
, in which he sang the now famous Bossa nova
Bossa nova
Bossa nova is a style of Brazilian music. Bossa nova acquired a large following in the 1960s, initially consisting of young musicians and college students...
songs "A Felicidade" and "Manhã de Carnaval" (also known as "A Day in the Life of a Fool").
Mello also lived in Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, where he met Amelina Santos Corrêa, also known as Mana. He had his youngest daughter, Letícia with her.
Until 2004, Mello had stepped away from acting and there had been a search for him to appear in the documentary "À la recherche d'Orfeu Negro" (in which he portrayed himself) to talk about the impact that the movie Black Orpheus had on the world of Brazilian music, such as Bossa Nova and samba
Samba
Samba is a Brazilian dance and musical genre originating in Bahia and with its roots in Brazil and Africa via the West African slave trade and African religious traditions. It is recognized around the world as a symbol of Brazil and the Brazilian Carnival...
. Mello died in his hometown of Porto Alegre
Porto Alegre
Porto Alegre is the tenth most populous municipality in Brazil, with 1,409,939 inhabitants, and the centre of Brazil's fourth largest metropolitan area . It is also the capital city of the southernmost Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul. The city is the southernmost capital city of a Brazilian...
, Brazil, at the age of 76 years on July 11, 2008 from a heart attack. His Black Orpheus co-star American-born actress Marpessa Dawn
Marpessa Dawn
Marpessa Dawn , also known as Gypsy Marpessa Dawn Menor was an American-born French actress, singer, and dancer....
, died 42 days later of a heart attack, in Paris, France. Dawn was 74.
Partial filmography
- Prisoner of Rio (1988) Silencio
- O Negrinho do Pastoreio (1973) Negro
- San Rata de puerto (1963)
- Os Vencidos (1963)
- Orfeu Negro (Black Orpheus) (1959) Orpheus