Teatro das Artes
Gávea
Located in a shopping mall in well-heeled Gavea, this theater hosts popular productions. Two smaller theaters are reserved for less commercial productions. Most productions tend to be in Portuguese.
2 Best Performing Arts in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Theater, classical music (música erudita), and opera may be largely the preserve of the affluent upper classes in Rio, but tickets remain reasonably priced by international standards and can be purchased easily from box offices. Although understanding Portuguese may prove difficult for some visitors, musicals provide a good opportunity to catch the glitzier side of Rio, and the international language of song and dance is considerably more comprehensible. Since many of the venues are in downtown or more out-of-the-way areas, use taxis to get to and from them, as the surrounding streets can feel dangerously deserted by night.
Visual-art venues and museums are also very well endowed, with privately funded cultural centers hosting a rich variety of exhibitions, specific details of which are again best sought out in the Friday editions of the Rio press.
Teatro João Caetano
Centro
The city's oldest theater dates to 1813, and while the building itself is less than spectacular, the 1,200-seat venue hosts some interesting productions. These tend to be accessibly priced so it's worth a look, especially since the once-seedy area around the theater has been smartened up. The monthly program focus on celebrated traditions and cultures from around the country through music, dance and events.
