Theatro da Paz
Neoclassical opera house of 1878 on Praça da República, the leading stage of northern Brazil.
Built between 1869 and 1874 and opened on 15 February 1878, the Theatro da Paz was paid for by the wealth of the Amazon rubber trade and designed by the engineer José Tibúrcio Pereira Magalhães. Its neoclassical front of eight Ionic columns faces Praça da República, with colonnaded courtyards and stairs to either side. The horseshoe auditorium seats about 787 people over stalls and four tiers of boxes, and is framed by cast iron shipped from Europe.
The Italian decorator Domenico De Angelis directed the interior scheme in the early twentieth century, painting ceiling panels of Greek deities; water damage was repaired by Armando Baloni in 1960. IPHAN listed the building in 1963 and it was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2026 alongside the Teatro Amazonas in Manaus. The theatre presents opera, orchestral concerts, dance and drama through the year, and guided tours of about 45 minutes run on most days.
Highlights
- Eight-column neoclassical portico facing Praça da República
- Horseshoe auditorium of about 787 seats with four tiers of boxes
- Ceiling paintings directed by Domenico De Angelis
- Guided tours lasting around 45 minutes, free on Wednesdays
