Bibi Ferreira, the grande dame of the Brazilian stage who performed internationally and helped bring Broadway musicals to Brazil in the 1960s, passed away on February 13. She was 96 years old.
Ferreira, who sang in English, French, and Spanish in addition to Portuguese, began acting as a child and continued performing well into her 90s.
Early Life
Ferreira was born in Rio de Janeiro, the daughter of stage actor Procópio Ferreira and Argentine dancer Aida Izquierdo, who was born in Buenos Aires. Her paternal grandparents came from Madeira Island, Portugal; her maternal grandparents, Antonio Izquierdo and Irma Queirola, were from Spain. She learned dance at the 
Teatro Municipal in Rio de Janeiro.
Career
Her father invited her to join his company. She made her stage debut playing La Locandiera at the Teatro Serrador in Rio de Janeiro in February 1941. Three years later, she formed her own company. During this time, she began hosting various talk and variety shows on television, giving opportunities to new artists and playwrights to showcase their work.
In 1962, she was cast in the Brazilian production of My Fair Lady, which set a Brazilian record with its two and a half year run. She then played leading roles in Hello Dolly and Man of La Mancha. In the 1970s, she began directing her own productions. Ferreira started performing in a musical about Édith Piaf in 1983 and took the show on tour across Europe.
Ferreira was a prominent figure in the Brazilian entertainment industry. Her protégé, singer Maria Bethânia, said of Ferreira: “Everything she does has helped Brazil with its identity.” The French government awarded her the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in 1985. In 2016, Ferreira performed in “Bibi Times Four,” a solo show at Symphony Space in NYC.