It was only 20 months. That was enough, however, for the townhouse at number 53 Rua da Carioca to go down in the history of Brazilian music. The restaurant of Dona Zica and Cartola, the most celebrated couple from Mangueira of all time, opened its doors in September 1963. From the kitchen came the home-style dishes she prepared with great care — being able to devote herself to cooking had long been a dream of hers. In the dining room, night after memorable night unfolded, bringing together names like Nelson Cavaquinho, Ismael Silva, Zé Kéti, Clementina de Jesus, Ciro Monteiro, Elizeth Cardoso, Aracy de Almeida, Hermínio Bello de Carvalho, and João do Vale.
Image description: This is a black-and-white photograph of four people gathered in a social setting. On the left, we see a smiling man wearing a striped shirt. In the center, a woman with long hair is smiling, holding an acoustic guitar. Behind her, a gray-haired man is also smiling, looking at the guitar. On the right, another man is partially visible, also smiling. In the background, there are more people, but they are less in focus.Photo: Samuel Elyachar - Cartola, Odete Lara, Dorival Caymmi and Roberto Menescal - 1964 - Tyba
It was there, for example, that Paulinho da Viola — who at the time still went by Paulo César Batista de Faria, his original name — made his first performance. It was there too that the stitching together of samba and bossa nova intensified, with performers from one side and the other developing a healthy and joyful exchange.
But the importance of ZiCartola goes far beyond the musical realm. In the times of Lead, the boarding house that became a cultural stronghold was also a space of political resistance. At its tables, the foundations of projects such as the show Opinião were forged. Or Rosa de Ouro, directed by Hermínio Bello de Carvalho, a show known for having restored prominence to samba. Artistic works that managed to develop, in different ways, some kind of critical stance against the authoritarianism in vogue in the country.
Image description: This is a black-and-white photograph of a group of people gathered indoors, possibly in a hall or meeting room. In the central part of the image, a woman with short, braided hair is playing a guitar. She is seated and appears focused on her music. Beside her, a man is watching her, also seated. In the background, several other people are present, some appearing to be talking or observing. The spatial arrangement suggests a social or cultural scene, possibly related to music.Photo: Samuel Elyachar - Nara Leão playing guitar at ZiCartola
In May 1965, ZiCartola closed its doors due to administrative issues — some say the closure was the result of pressure from the military. Today, only a modest plaque on Rua da Carioca points out the importance of the former boarding house.
