A goddess astronaut sent by Saint George to become a Black woman on Earth. “Magnólia” opens March 12 at Sesc Copacabana with a live band.
The world premiere of “Magnólia” takes the stage at the Espaço Mezanino of Sesc Copacabana on March 12, 2026, at 8:30 PM. Conceived, directed, and performed by Marina Esteves, with text by Lucas Moura, the show is a musical fable freely inspired by the song of the same name and the album “A Tábua de Esmeralda” (The Emerald Tablet) by Brazilian music icon Jorge Ben Jor, which celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2025.
A goddess who becomes a woman
The story follows a goddess astronaut living in a blue-and-pink dimension among stars and comets. She encounters a Black knight — Saint George — who gives her a mission: descend to Earth and experience what it means to be human. After her fall, she undergoes a series of transformations until she becomes a Black woman, exploring all the pleasures and weight of that existence.
Selected by the Sesc RJ Pulsar Cultural Grant, the production blends dance, Spoken Word (spoken poetry), music, and performativity into a popular, plural, and diverse theatrical perspective. The live band is directed by Dani Nega and Marina Esteves, with Kiko Dinucci contributing to one of the arrangements.
Two years researching Jorge Ben Jor
The dramaturgy grew out of two years of deep research into Jorge Ben Jor’s body of work. Marina Esteves and Lucas Moura immersed themselves in his records, books, and academic material to shape the show. Beyond “A Tábua de Esmeralda,” the production explores the broader themes of his catalog: football, platonic love, Hermetic philosophy, spirituality, magic, and the rhythmic and phonetic playfulness that defines Jorge Ben’s unique voice.
“It is an act of freedom to be a Black woman and speak about this genius of Brazilian popular music from a feminine perspective. Bringing this fable to the stage, in this radical imagining of what the story of this song could be, is a tremendous joy — an exercise in freedom, expression, and artistic autonomy.” — Marina Esteves, performer and director of “Magnólia”
Joy as a political act
At the heart of the production lies the political power of Black joy. For Marina, the show reclaims happiness as a response to racism and gender-based violence. “In 1974, he was already singing that Black is beautiful right in the middle of Brazil’s military dictatorship,” she notes. The arc of a Black woman discovering herself through the lens of joy is the show’s driving force.
“We are going to survive, we are going to be happy — and that is our greatest revenge. To triumph through the joy that keeps us standing.” — Marina Esteves
Show Info
Magnólia
Run: March 12 – April 5, 2026
Schedule: Thursday through Sunday, 8:30 PM
Saturday performances include Brazilian Sign Language (Libras) interpretation.
Tickets: BRL 10 (Sesc members) | BRL 15 (half price) | BRL 30 (full price)
Tickets: https://www.ingresso.com/evento/magnolia
Venue: Sesc Copacabana – Espaço Mezanino | Rua Domingos Ferreira, 160 – Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro
Phone: +55 (21) 4020-2101
Age rating: 14+ | Runtime: 90 minutes
Instagram: @vimvermarina
Photo: Press release
