Cristóvão de Alencar

Cristóvão de Alencar's first recorded composition was the marcha "Olha Pra Lua" (with Nássara), in 1934, by Francisco Alves. Alencar debuted as a radio announcer in the next year, at the Rádio Guanabara, later becoming announcer on the historic Programa Casé show, innovating a way of addressing the audience in a more familiar way. Still in 1935, Sílvio Caldas launched the samba "Arrependimento" (Alencar/Caldas), which had much success. Orlando Silva also had a hit with an Alencar song, the carnival marchinha "Mal-Me-Quer" (with Newton Teixeira), in 1940. Alencar also had his songs recorded by acts like Dircinha Batista and Gilberto Alves. Together with Ary Barroso, David Nasser, Benedito Lacerda, Israel Souto, and others, Alencar founded the Brazilian Association of Composers (UBC) in June 1942. Having penned songs with such collaborators as Nássara, Wilson Batista, Ataulfo Alves, Georges Moran, Newton Teixeira, Noel Rosa, and Haroldo Lobo, Alencar also signed some of them using his real name, Armando Reis. ~ Alvaro Neder