Guided show at Theatro Municipal

The theatrical tour Theatro Municipal conta histórias opens on January 14, turning the Rio landmark into a time-travel experience.

What if you could revisit the past with Theatro Municipal conta histórias as your gateway inside the Theatro Municipal do Rio de Janeiro? That is the idea behind this new theatrical tour in one of Brazil’s most iconic monuments, starting on January 14. Lasting one hour and a half, a group of actors in period costumes moves through the city’s temple of dance, in Cinelândia, blending theater and music to tell the story of the venue and guide audiences on a journey through time.

Theatro Municipal conta histórias runs from January 14, with performances on Wednesdays (14, 21 and 28/1) at 4 p.m., on Fridays (16, 23 and 30/1) at 11 a.m., and on Saturday 17 at 11 a.m. Tickets cost R$ 20 (full) and R$ 10 (half-price), with capacity for 40 people per session and age recommendation from 12 years old.

The Theatro Municipal do Rio de Janeiro was inaugurated on July 14, 1909, a date that echoes the Storming of the Bastille, a key event of the French Revolution. In the early 20th century, Brazil was already a republic, and Rio de Janeiro, then the federal capital, was deeply influenced by France. The Belle Époque was visible in the wide, well-lit avenues, the vibrant nightlife and the wave of new buildings.

The script of Theatro Municipal conta histórias, written by Daniela Chindler from historical research by Luciene Carris and directed by Augusto Pessoa, presents the theater and links its history to the development of the city. One highlight is the evocation of the opening of Avenida Central (today Avenida Rio Branco), which was once lined with jambeiro trees and pau-brasil.

“The flowerbeds received 53 pau-brasil trees and 358 jambeiros, designed to make the avenue more beautiful and cool. It was a place where people could stroll while admiring the electric lighting, a novelty in the early 20th century. Anyone walking there felt that Rio was Paris in the tropics…” (Scene from the inauguration of Avenida Central)

The artistic team of Theatro Municipal conta histórias includes musical direction by Guilherme Miranda and musical research by Joaquim de Paula. On stage, actors and singers Adassa Martins, Gabriel Sant´Anna, Lucas Salustriano and Sophia Fried take turns telling the story of the theater, weaving in humorous, curious and poetic episodes.

Throughout the theatrical tour, the cast walks through the stalls, balconies, dressing rooms and the Assyrius lounge, sharing the history of the building, its productions and the many people who have performed there. The public is gently led on a time-travel journey, guided by characters who shaped Brazilian cultural life.

Arthur Azevedo, Chiquinha Gonzaga, Ernesto Nazareth, Nair de Teffé, Maria Olenewa, Isadora Duncan, João do Rio, Abdias do Nascimento and Fernanda Montenegro are among the figures whose life stories feed into the script of Theatro Municipal conta histórias, highlighting the theater as a living archive of national culture.

Since 1997, writer and producer Daniela Chindler has been creating theatrical visits for historic buildings. She began this trajectory when academy member Nélida Piñon invited her to design the show marking the centenary of the Brazilian Academy of Letters. The project was so successful that it remained on stage for 15 years.

After that, she wrote the script “Primeiro de Março, 66” for the 100th anniversary of the building that now houses Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil (CCBB) in Rio, and went on to develop similar tours in historic buildings in São Paulo and Belo Horizonte. A reference in non-formal education, she also leads the project “Além Muros”, which promotes reading among women in situations of incarceration.

More recently, the creator of Theatro Municipal conta histórias presented the project “Bibliotecas no Mundo” in public schools and at the National Library, reinforcing her work in cultural mediation and audience development for the arts.

The project Theatro Municipal conta histórias is sponsored by the City of Rio de Janeiro, the Municipal Department of Culture and Rede D´OR, through the Municipal Culture Incentive Law (ISS Law).

SERVICE

THEATRO MUNICIPAL CONTA HISTÓRIAS

Theatrical tour

Theatro Municipal do Rio de Janeiro – Praça Floriano, S/N – Centro

Opening: January 14

Schedule: Wednesdays (14, 21, 28/1) – 4 p.m.

Schedule: Fridays (16, 23, 30/1) – 11 a.m.

Schedule: Saturday (17/1) – 11 a.m.

Tickets: R$ 20.00 (full) and R$ 10.00 (half-price)

Online sales: https://feverup.com/pt/rio-de-janeiro/venue/theatro-municipal-do-rio-de-janeiro

Recommended age: 12 and over

Duration: One hour and a half

Capacity: 40 people

Season until January 30