André Filho composed “Cidade Maravilhosa,” the song strongly associated with Rio de Janeiro Carnival.
Filho wrote the march in 1934, and it became widely linked with Rio through Carnival performances and public celebrations. The title means “Marvelous City,” a famous nickname for Rio de Janeiro.
The song is often heard during Carnival, but it is not the official theme song of one particular samba school. That distinction matters because each competing school creates its own samba-enredo for its annual parade.
“Cidade Maravilhosa” is also commonly confused with “Aquarela do Brasil,” written by Ary Barroso. Barroso’s song is another celebrated Brazilian standard, but it was not composed by André Filho and is not the source of Rio’s “Marvelous City” title.