 The front façade | |
 Interactive map of Theatro da Paz | |
| Address | Rua da Paz Belém,Pará Brazil |
|---|---|
| Designation | Instituto do Patrimônio Histórico e Artístico Nacional (IPHAN) |
| Capacity | 787 |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 1874 |
| Architect | José Libúrcio Pereira Magalhães |
| Website | |
| www | |
| Designated | 1963 |
| Reference no. | 671 |
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Theatro da Paz (Peace Theater) is atheater located in the Praça da República (Republic Square) on the city ofBelém, capital of the state ofPará, inBrazil. It was built followingneoclassical architectural lines during the golden age ofrubber inAmazon Basin. It is considered the most important culture house in northernBrazil. Its name has been suggested by bishop D. Macedo Costa, who also launched the foundation stone of the theater on March 3, 1869.
Theatro da Paz has suffered minor alterations along the years to its façade, namely the reduction of the number of columns over the main entrance. Its architectural lines, however, remain unaltered. It waslisted as a historic structure byNational Institute of Historic and Artistic Heritage (IPHAN) in 1963.
Theatro da Paz was planned byengineer José Libúrcio Pereira Magalhães, with some alterations added by the Public Constructions office. Construction began in 1869 and ended in 1874, but the theater was only opened to the public after an administrative investigation against its builders.
The premiere feature wasAdolphe d'Ennery's drama calledThe Two Orphans, having taken place on February 16, 1878, and organized by Vicent Pontes de Oliveira theater company, which deal with Theatro da Paz lasted for five years and made him responsible also for thestage lights, decoration,choreography andprops, as well as for the organisation within this period.
Theatro da Paz, as in Leandro Tocantins, "is the definitely neoclassical". On each side, there are patios surrounded by columns and staircases giving access toPraça da República (Republic Square). Straw seats in the shape of a horseshoe. In the lobby, there are two carrara-marmor busts:José de Alencar eGonçalves Dias, who introduced theindianismo inBrazil. In the noble hall, next to a giant-sized crystal mirror, remain the busts of maestrosCarlos Gomes andHenrique Gurjão.
In Theatro da Paz, Carlos Gomes ran his most famous opera,O Guarani, andRussianballerinaAnna Pavlova also touched its stage with her ballet shoes. Decoration was planned byItalianDomenico de Angelis who also decoratedTeatro Amazonas inManaus. He also painted the theater's panel in its spectacle room's roof, which depictedGreek gods, as well as the Jover roof, which was lost due to an infiltration and later restored in 1960 by another Italian artist,Armando Baloni.
In 1904, duringAugusto Montenegro's government, four busts representingmusic,poetry,comedy andtragedy were included in Theatro da Paz decoration. During the golden age of rubber, world's most famous lyrical companies featured their presentations in the theater, but after the rubber era, it has been neglected and suffered from bad maintenance.
After Armando Baloni's painting, in 1960, Pará state governor then,Aurélio do Carmo, kept the restoration until 1965, underJarbas Passarinho's administration, Theatro da Paz was finally fully recovered and reopened to the public. The writing "Theatro", in archaic Portuguese, has been kept. Theatro da Paz underwent another major reformation in the 90s, under governor Almir Gabriel, when its original colors were restored. It was also during his administration that modern Opera Festivals begun to take place, with free or low-cost renditions of operas likeIl Barbiere di Seviglia orO Guarani.
When declared by Brazil's Institute for Protection of Historical and Architectural Patrimony, its president chose Theatro da Paz as one of the "14 most beautiful jewels of Brazilian patrimony".
The Theater has an exchange partnership with theUniversity of Missouri School of Music inColumbia, Missouri,United States.[2]
TheNational Institute of Historic and Artistic Heritage listed the Theatro da Paz a protected historic structure by in 1963. It was included in the Book of Historical Works as Inscription no. 671.[1]
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01°27′10″S48°29′37″W / 1.45278°S 48.49361°W /-1.45278; -48.49361
