Sao Paulo Municipal Theater (Theatro Municipal)
Praça Ramos de Azevedo, República, São Paulo, BRA
Situated grandly atop downtown São Paulo’s Vale do Anhangabaú like a concrete wedding cake, the century-old Theatro Municipal still shines as an example of the city’s place at the vanguard of art in Latin America. Opened in 1911, the ornate showplace—styled in the tradition of the great European opera houses—has welcomed Maria Callas, Isadora Duncan, Duke Ellington, and Mikhail Baryshnikov to its stage.
A multimillion-dollar renovation restored the grandeur of the structure, which serves as the official home of the São Paulo Municipal Symphony Orchestra and the São Paulo City Ballet, among other artistic organizations. With a design inspired directly by Milan’s Teatroalla Scala, the theater was erected during the height of São Paulo’s wealth and influence as the center of Brazil’s coffee industry, though the location of the structure is called Morro do Chá—Tea Hill.
The site of many debuts by Brazilian composers as well as host of 1922’s groundbreaking Week of Modern Art, which set the tone for the country’s multifaceted participation in Modernism, the theater welcomes visitors and offers guided tours arranged through its on-site historical museum. And purchasing tickets for any of the various artistic events at the theater’s turn-of-last-century box office is an experience in itself.
- The theater opens an hour before showtimes; you should arrive 30 minutes before your show.
- The theater does not enforce a specific dress code.
- Wheelchair-accessible seats are available; tickets for these seats must be collected in person at the ticket office.
- Check the event’s age rating; minors may need to be accompanied by parents or guardians in some cases.
The Theatro Municipal is located at Praça Ramos de Azevedo, within walking distance of many landmarks. It is also easily accessible via the República (Lines 3 and 4) and Anhangabaú (Line 3) metro stations, as well as by taxi. Because São Paulo streets can be congested, driving is not recommended.
The box office is open Monday to Friday from 10am to 7pm and Saturdays and Sundays from 10am to 5pm. It remains open until the start of the event in the evenings; for morning shows, it opens two hours before the performance begins. On some Mondays and Wednesdays, the theater offers free events; check the website for up-to-date information.
Located a short distance from the theater, this green space hosts a popular crafts fair and flea market on Sundays, when hundreds of vendors sell their wares, including landscape paintings, wood carvings, and other decorative items. It’s also home to the São Paulo State Department of Education, a striking yellow brick building.
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