Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
ENTERTAINMENT IN SÃO PAULO
S
ão Paulo has an incredible
wide range of films can be
viewed as well, with arthouse
theaters showing the latest
blockbusters from Europe, Latin
America, or Asia and state-of-
the-art multiplexes offering
popular national cinema. A pro-
gressive city, São Paulo has the
largest Gay Pride parade in the
world, which takes place in June.
Children are welcome everywhere -
even in bars and restaurants, and the
largest theme park in South America,
Playcenter, lies on the city's doorstep.
nightlife with a bewilder-
ing choice of activities on
offer. Live music, in diverse
styles, is performed every night
by the most distinguished artists
from the country. Brazil's finest
orchestra, theater, and concert
halls are also located in São
Paulo. The city boasts myriad
dance clubs offering
samba
,
forró
, and
a dozen other traditional styles, along-
side ubiquitous international club
music, often with a Brazilian twist. A
Veja São Paulo
, a
listings magazine
GUIDES & LISTINGS
home in Latin America's best
1,500-seat concert hall, the
Sala São Paulo
. The acoustics
here are almost perfect. The
Sala São Paulo regularly
advertises its upcoming
programs on its website. The
city's other key music venue
for opera and classical
concerts is the distinguished
Theatro Municipal
. The
Teatro
Alfa
specializes in ballet.
The
Tourist Information Desk
at Guarulhos International
Airport offers information in
English about what's on in the
city. The Friday edition of the
Folha de São Paulo
and
Estado
do São Paulo
newspapers and
Veja
magazine's cultural insert,
Veijinha,
have comprehensive
listings in Portuguese.
The central ticket-selling
office in São Paulo is
Ticketmaster
, which sells
tickets through the Saraíva and
FNAC bookshops
(see p151).
DANCE BARS & CLUBS
Dance bars and clubs are
concentrated in two areas of
the city - Vila Madalena and
Pinheiros, southwest of the
center, and the contiguous
bairros
of Vila Olímpia, Itaim,
and Moema in the south. The
former is more lively, with
live
forró
and
samba
bands
playing to bars filled with
university students. The
Bambú
and the
Canto da Ema
are always packed at
weekends. Vila Olímpia,
Itaim, and Moema are
generally livelier neighbor-
Sergio Dias, Ceumar, and Rebecca
Matta performing at SESC Pompéia
LIVE MUSIC
as the
Via Funchal
. The most
popular national and inter-
national groups, such as Ivete
Sangalo and U2, play in the
Pacaembu stadium.
A plethora of small venues in
the
bairros
of Vila Madalena,
Pinheiros, and Vila Olímpia
play host to all manner of live
acts. Almost all have a small
restaurant area, a dance floor,
and a sitting area. All have
bars and serve beer and
excellent cocktails. Musical
performances may vary from
week to week - from
samba
to Brazilian funk,
bossa nova
,
or the latest post-
mangue
beat sounds from the state of
Pernambuco. The best venues
include
A Marcenaria
and the
Bourbon Street Music Club
,
featuring jazz and Dixieland.
More popular performers,
such as João Bosco or Otto,
play in the
SESC
s - cultural
centers with excellent concert
halls. The best are in Vila
Mariana and Pompéia.
Legendary singers such as
Milton Nascimento and
Caetano Veloso play in
numerous concert halls such
CLASSICAL MUSIC &
DANCE
Brazil's most reputable
orchestra, the São Paulo State
Symphony Orchestra, has its
Popular Vila Madalena Club in São Paulo
