The House

Casa Di Vina is the house where one of the great icons of Brazilian culture, Vinicius de Moraes,  lived in Bahia. Delighted by the land diversity and inebriated with love for the actress Gessy Gesse, Vinicius moved to Itapuã in the early 70’s, living there a very inspired phase of his life. Preserved in its original architecture, the house today houses the Casa di Vina Memorial, open to the public, free, where objects, photos and documents of the couple’s history and of the poet’s little known passage by Bahia are exposed. During the visit one can also appreciate old sculptures and tiles by the artist Udo Knoff and the panel painted by Bel Borba in honor of Vinicius' friendship with the painter Calasans Neto. The artistic intervention of the space is inspired in the stories told by Gessy Gesse in her book "Minha Vida com o Poeta" (My life with the Poet), and the collection kindly donated by the actress.

FREE VISIT

Monday to Sunday from 12pm to 10pm

***

VINICIUS

One of the great names of the Bossa Nova, Vinicius de Moraes composed the lyric of the song which was for some years the second most performed in the world, Garota de Ipanema. Vinicius was born in Rio in 1913, but certainly left this world in 1980 as a “Bahian”, leaving Brazilian culture an invaluable heritage. He lived a life of complete and impassioned abandonment as an incorrigible bohemian. He got married nine times and when asked by his friend Tom Jobim how many times he would get married, he said “as many as necessary”. About himself, he used to say felt like “in a labyrinth in search of a way out”. Searching this way he found in the magic of Itapuã a safe haven in the arms of Gesse, his divine home.

GESSE

Introduced to Vinicus by Maria Betânia, Gessy Gesse a Bahian actress from Cinema Novo, with her savage beauty, strength and joy, characteristic of the children of Iansã, took the heart of the poet who fell in love at first sight. In love, they looked for a blessed refuge in Bahia, in the inspiring neighborhood of Itapuã. If Bahia blessed the poet and his muse and other inspiration and he graced this land with his poetry.

THE WEDDING

Together since 1969, the couple celebrated their union in 1973 in Bahia, in a gypsy ritual. They celebrated love in an act of total abandonment, cutting their wrists to mix their blood. That day, Vinicius also celebrated his sixty years and was radiant. The godparents were Jorge Amado and Zelia Gatai and Calasans Neto and Auta Rosa.

OXALÁ BLESSING

“The blackest white of Brazil in the direct line of Xangô. Saravá!”The contact of the agnostic poet and Bahian religious syncretism gave to Brazilian music good verses. His work was strongly influenced by the spiritual richness of the Mãe Menininha candomblé house introduced to him by Gesse. Vinicius was son of Oxalá.

LOVE NEST

The house was designed by Jamison Pedra and Silvio Robatto and built in front of the Farol de Itapuã (Itapuã lighthouse). The invitation to inaugurate the house was conceived by Vinicius himself, when he named it as Free and Autonomous Principality of Itapuã, where he was the Prince Consort. In the couple's bedroom there is a curious bathtub overlooking the sea, Vinicius’ favorite spot to create his verses. Poetry was present in the daily life of the house. Gesse describes that used to find surprises in her breakfast cup like a flower or a poem, as well as verses with her clothes and lingerie.

FRIENDS

In the 70s, the presence of Vinicius moviment even more the effervescent cultural scene of Salvador. The life and work of the poet were also enriched by the coexistence of friends like Jorge Amado, Dorival Caymmi, Batatinha, Calasans Neto, Auta Rosa, Carlos Bastos, Camafeu de Oxóssi, Nilda Spencer, Rubinho dos Carnavais, Olga de Alaketu, Walter Queiróz, among many other Bahians

AFTERNOON IN ITAPUÃ

Toquinho says he found the poem ‘Tarde em Itapuã' still in Vina's typewriter. He asked to make music, but the poet refused because he wanted to give it to Caymmi. The night before his departure to São Paulo, he stole the lyrics from Vinicus returning to Bahia three days later with the music. He captivated the poet and together they sang throughout the world, the famous and magical beach of Itapuá.. So many other famous songs, such as “Onde Anda Você” and “Tonga da Mironga do Kabuletê”, were composed that time.