News just in from Brazil: the famed municipal theatre of Rio has been forced to postpone its new season until May after the collapse of nearby buildings.
Report here in Globo.
Breaking: Rio municipal theatre delays season after buildings collapse
- By Norman Lebrecht
- on January 31, 2012
According to recent news, the Brazilian Federal Police (besides the Police of the State of Rio de Janeiro) is investigating the buildings collapse circumstances because the Theatro Municipal is considered a national artistic and historical patrimony by IPHAN (Instituto do Patrimônio Histórico e Artístico Nacional) and, at least, a theater annex building was affected.
Unfortunately, Norman, this means that Rio is without ANY theatre for orchestral concerts, opera, ballet and recitals!
Our “City of Music”, more recently renamed ” City of the Arts”, though cost already over U$400 million (dollars) has never been finished and remains closed. The Mayor of Rio stated in today’s papers that he doesn’t consider finishing it important enough to make it a priority.
Since most of the work for the Olympic Games and the World Cup are VERY late, the people wonder what exactly is a priority!