A theatrical trilogy by Gilson de Barros, directed by Amir Haddad, marks 70 years of Brazil’s greatest novel at Teatro Glauce Rocha, April 1–24.
Seventy years after its publication shook world literature, Grande Sertão: Veredas — João Guimarães Rosa’s sprawling masterpiece — returns to the stage. The project “Grande Sertão: Veredas – 70 Anos de Travessia” takes over Teatro Glauce Rocha in downtown Rio de Janeiro from April 1 to 24, 2026, with a full trilogy of plays, an art exhibition, workshops, and university debates.
The initiative is led by actor and playwright Gilson de Barros — nominated for the prestigious Shell Prize for Best Actor and Best Dramaturgy — who conceived and stars in all three productions. Direction is by Amir Haddad, one of Brazil’s most celebrated theater directors, founder of the Tá na Rua company and Honorary Doctor at UFRJ. The project is sponsored by Vale through Brazil’s federal cultural incentive law, the Lei Rouanet.
Three plays, one epic journey
Each play in the trilogy stands alone but gains depth when seen together. “Riobaldo” — Wednesdays at 7 PM — focuses on the novel’s love relationships, particularly the bond between Riobaldo and Diadorim. “No Meio do Redemunho” (“In the Eye of the Whirlwind”) — Thursdays at 7 PM — digs into the moral and philosophical conflict between good and evil, and the protagonist’s alleged pact with the devil. “O Julgamento de Zé Bebelo” (“The Trial of Zé Bebelo”) — Fridays at 7 PM — reconstructs the world of the jagunços, the outlaw gunmen who dominated the Brazilian sertão at the turn of the 20th century.
The staging approach grew from a bold directorial decision by Haddad. Barros recalls: on their very first rehearsal day, the director told him he would sit and tell the story. “I was baffled. It took me months to understand what he wanted. That was Amir’s genius — he taught me narrative interpretation, the art of building the entire set inside the audience’s mind,” the actor explains.
“I designed the adaptation intending to use every theatrical technique available. On the first rehearsal day, Haddad said: ‘You will sit and tell us this story.’ I was stunned. It took me months to understand what he wanted. That was Amir’s genius. He taught me narrative interpretation — basically, creating the entire scenery inside the audience’s mind. Brilliant!” — Gilson de Barros, actor and playwright
A decade in the making
The project was first conceived between 2015 and 2016. Barros spent years shaping the dramaturgy and, by 2019, presented an early version at literary events. At one such occasion, at the Biblioteca Parque in Rio, he received feedback from writers Nélida Piñon and Antônio Cícero (in memoriam), who encouraged him to approach Haddad. The first play, “Riobaldo,” premiered in 2020. “No Meio do Redemunho” followed in 2023, and “O Julgamento de Zé Bebelo” completed the trilogy in 2024, premiering at Teatro Sérgio Cardoso in São Paulo.
Awards and national reach
Since its debut, the trilogy has staged 647 performances across 68 Brazilian cities, reaching approximately 14,000 audience members. It toured major state capitals as well as remote quilombola communities and small towns. Internationally, the project performed in Portugal (Lisbon and Porto) and Colombia, at the Bogotá International Book Fair (FILBo), gathering around 2,600 additional spectators. The trilogy was honored with the Special Arcanjo Prize in São Paulo.
Free programming for all
Alongside the ticketed shows, the project offers free events. The Grande Sertão Art Exhibition by visual artist Graça Craidy opens April 1 at 5 PM and runs through April 26, Wednesday to Sunday, 2–7 PM. A free workshop — “Translating Guimarães Rosa’s prose into dramaturgy” — takes place on April 15 and 22, from 4–6 PM (30 spots). The “Conversations with Guimarães Rosa” series brings academic discussions to UFRJ, UERJ, UFF, and Colégio Pedro II.
Event Info
- Project: Grande Sertão: Veredas – 70 Anos de Travessia
- Venue: Teatro Glauce Rocha – Av. Rio Branco, 179, Centro, Rio de Janeiro
- Dates: April 1–24, 2026, at 7 PM
- Wednesdays: Riobaldo
- Thursdays: No Meio do Redemunho
- Fridays: O Julgamento de Zé Bebelo
- Tickets: BRL 40 / BRL 20 / BRL 10
- Free workshop “Translating Guimarães Rosa’s prose into dramaturgy”: April 15 & 22, 4–6 PM, 30 spots, Teatro Glauce Rocha
- Grande Sertão Art Exhibition (Graça Craidy): opens April 1 at 5 PM; on view through April 26, Wed–Sun, 2–7 PM — free admission, Teatro Glauce Rocha
- Production: Barros Produções Culturais, Ministério da Cultura and the Federal Government of Brazil
- Sponsorship: Vale, through Brazil’s Federal Cultural Incentive Law – Lei Rouanet
Photo: Renato Mangolin
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