RealTheatrodeSãoJoão

In the years of Independence, the Real Theatro de São João, located in the Rocio area, played the important role of meeting point among the elites of the court. In the corridors, staircases, and halls of the São João, a public game of appearances was played out, where courtiers, public officials, military men, and merchants with standing and influence in the maze of palace politics paraded about. In this theater, plays were not the only thing performed: it was an arena to see and be seen. There was no shortage of demonstrations in defense of or against public figures, coming from the boxes and the audience. For decades, the gala nights, teas, and shows staged there made the Teatro de São João a political, social, and cultural stage like no other in Rio de Janeiro.

Figure 1 — Theatro Imperial, W. Loeillot, 1835. National Library Collection [icon393016_07]

Image description: This is an engraving depicting an urban scene. From left to right, we see a series of buildings of different heights and shapes. In the center, there is a building with classical architecture, possibly a theater, with columns and balconies. In front of this building, there is a square with people walking and stopped carriages. In the background, other buildings and a tower are visible. The sky is cloudy, giving the scene a light gray tone. There is no legible text in the image other than the title "THEATRO IMPERIAL" and the date "1835".

The day of the acclaim of d. Pedro, October 12, 1822, was chosen by hand — it was the emperor's birthday, who was then completing 24 years of life. But the date was also commemorative for the theater itself, inaugurated on the occasion of the birthday of the bragantino prince nine years earlier, in 1813.

The construction of the Real Theatro de São João was part of a series of transformations experienced in Rio de Janeiro on the occasion of the transfer of the Portuguese royal family in 1808. In 1810 came the decree issued by the prince regent, d. João VI, instructing its construction. The presence of members of royalty in Rio de Janeiro required the erection of symbolic spaces like that one, where foreign fashion was consumed, etiquette was displayed, and which served as a showcase for the elites vying for the monarchs' attention.

Image description: The image is a historic engraving showing a square with old buildings. On the left side, there are low buildings with balconies and windows. In the center, a monument with a column and a sphere on top. On the right, smaller buildings and a church tower in the background. People are scattered across the square, walking or gathered in groups. The sky is clear, suggesting a sunny day. At the bottom, it reads "ACCEPTATION PROVISOIRE DE LA CONSTITUTION DE LISBONNE, à Rio de Janeiro en 1821".

The building's balcony was a privileged space for announcements and declarations. A notorious event occurred in February 1821: the then prince, d. Pedro, addressed the population in revolt, who demanded that the king, d. João VI, swear to uphold the constitutional bases that were being drafted in Portugal by the liberals of the Revolution of 1820. D. Pedro's positive nod left the crowd in ecstasy. That same day — and it could not have been otherwise — there was a gala night at the São João Theater.

The Independence of Brazil brought about the need to manufacture symbols, foundation myths, and elements that would stamp out Brazilianness — or rather, an idea of nation. In this sense, the Teatro de São João displayed the first official expression of an imaginary regarding the founding of the Empire of Brazil. The allegory of national formation, designed by the French artist Jean-Baptiste Debret, would replace the print of the curtained house curtain at the back of the theater's stage, in which Portuguese subjects knelt before the kingdom of Portugal.

Figure 3 — Rideau d'avant scéne exécuté au Théatre de la Cour, pour la réprésentation d'apparat: à l'occasion du Couronnement de l'Empereur D. Pedro 1er, Thierry Frères, Jean-Baptiste Debret, 1839. Collection of the Biblioteca Nacional, [icon393054_182]

Image description: The image is a colored engraving depicting a theatrical scene. On the left side, we see figures dressed in traditional clothing, holding musical instruments and dancing. In the center, there is a raised stage where a figure dressed in green sits, with a golden throne in front of them. On the right, other characters, also dressed in historical costumes, are shown in active poses, possibly preparing for a performance. The background features palm trees and red curtains, creating a festive setting. Below the image, there is text in French describing the scene as being performed at the Real Theatre of São João for the elaborate staged representation.

The painter spared no creativity, imagining a pompous and original empire. Black, indigenous, mixed-race, and white people; soldiers, civilians, women, children; a cornucopia with tropical fruits at the foot of the throne, where a woman sits, representing the very power of the empire, with the lush green forests in the background. The allegory sought to seduce and stir the imagination of that new empire's subjects into acting in its defense, just like the figures in the image.

To honor the emperor, the Teatro de São João would change its name to “Imperial Theatro São Pedro de Alcântara” in 1826. It's worth noting that between 1831 and 1839, the building was called Theatro Constitucional Fluminense. The change well expresses the political mood of those years, when d. Pedro I abdicated the throne (1831), and Brazil entered a regency period until d. Pedro II took power in 1840.

The site suffered from several fires throughout the 19th century. In the 20th century, the building was demolished to construct a new theater, named in honor of one of the great actors of the 19th century, João Caetano.

Figure 4 — Theatro S. Pedro de Alcantara, Friedrich Pustkow, 1850. National Library Collection, [icon393034_08]

Image description: The image is a black-and-white engraving. In the center, there is a large, majestic building with several windows and arches. To the left and right of this building, there are other smaller buildings, also with many windows. In the background, the sky is clear and cloudless. At the bottom of the image, there is an inscription that reads "THEATRO S. PEDRO DE ALCINTARA".

Bibliographic references:

ENDERS, Armelle. A História do Rio de Janeiro. Rio de Janeiro: Gryphus Editora, 2015.

MARSON, Izabel Andrade; OLIVEIRA, Cecília Helena L. de Salles (orgs.). Monarquia, Liberalismo e Negócios no Brasil: 1780-1860. São Paulo: Edusp, 2013.

PEDREIRA, Jorge Miguel Viana; COSTA, Fernando Dores. D. João VI: a prince between two continents. São Paulo: Companhia das Letras, 2008.

PORTO, Denise G. Maria Graham: an Englishwoman in Brazil's Independence. Curitiba: CRV, 2020.

SHULTZ, Kristen. Tropical Versailles: Empire, Monarchy, and the Portuguese Royal Court in Rio de Janeiro, 1808-1821. Rio de Janeiro: Civilização Brasileira, 2008.

STARLING, Heloisa Maria Murgel; DE LIMA, Marcela Telles (orgs.). Vozes do Brasil: a linguagem política na Independência (1820-1824). Brasília: Edições do Senado Federal, 2021.