The Theatro Municipal

Structures like the Theatro Municipal remind us of the days when Rio de Janeiro was the capital of Brazil. Erected in 1909, it served as the centerpiece to Cinelândia, once the city’s cultural epicenter. With its Paris-Opera-inspired domes, staircases, and bronze filigree, the theatre has presented a century of international spectacle including opera, dance, and classical music. It continues to be a top entertainment venue, home to a resident ballet and symphony orchestra. Even Brazil’s biggest pop acts play the Municipal—a misnomer, perhaps, since the theatre has always been national in ambition and scope.