Brazil bids farewell to its samba queen, Elza Soares

By DIANE JEANTET
Associated Press

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Brazilians are bidding farewell to their samba queen, the legendary singer and force of nature Elza Soares. She died at 91 in her Rio de Janeiro home on Thursday. Family, friends and fans gathered Friday at Rio’s Municipal Theatre before Soares is buried in a cemetery near the working-class neighborhood where she grew up. There was an outpouring of tributes from artists in Brazil and abroad. Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes declared three days of mourning. U.S. singer Beyoncé thanked the artist in a statement on her website for inspiring “so many from Brazil and around the world” and added, “We are grateful”