The oldest performer at the Opening Ceremony is Elza Soares, a Brazilian musical legend from Rio de Janeiro.  

What type of music does she sing?

Elza sings “musica popular brasileira,” or MPB and samba. But she's not type of musician to stick to genres. Back in the day, she introduced "scat" into her music to form a mixture of jazz and samba. And her recent album, "A Mulher no fim do mundo," combines samba with punk and noise rock.

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How did she become a famous singer in Brazil?

Elza Soares’ big break came when she performed on a popular talent show hosted by Ary Barros. She entered the show in an effort to win money to feed her children. Although the host made fun of her ill-fitted dress (she was 32 kilos wearing a dress for a woman of 70 kilos), Soares won the talent show and from there launched a prosperous professional music career. 

Elza Soares has had a successful but tragic life 

At the age of 79, Soares sells out concert halls full of old and young Brazilians. She’s a certified music legend. But her fame and musical genius did not prevent her from experiencing life’s ups and downs. By the time she was 12, her father had married her off to a neighborhood boy.

By 21 she was a widow and had birthed four children, one of whom died of malnutrition and another she gave up for adoption. She married Brazilian football star Garrincha but he suffered from alcoholism and eventually died from it. Despite her difficult life, she maintains a composure. 

What are people saying about her latest album?

Soares released A Mulher no Fim do Mundo at the end of 2015. According to Pitchfork, "the album doubles as a portrait of contemporary Brazil—a country beset by crises, including corruption scandals, the worst recession in over a century, a wave of police brutality, and a rising tide of anti-gay violence."

What do Brazilians have to say about Elza Soares?

"Elza is the pearl of great price and we are so lucky to have her still, after all these years,” Thaddeus Blanchette. 

“She is a an icon whose powerful voice reminds me of my childhood of family barbecues with great samba. She is a strong person. She has lost children, combatted hunger, racism, depression and she knew how to get through this. - Lucas Barrozo

"I love her because she is the greatest as a woman and a singer. Since she was a child, she had such a difficult life but she overcame it and she never lost her spirit and good humor." - Jose Maranhão.