The Cláudio Santoro National Theater () is a multi-
theater
Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors to present experiences of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The performers may communi ...
building in
Brasília
Brasília ( ; ) is the capital city, capital of Brazil and Federal District (Brazil), Federal District. Located in the Brazilian highlands in the country's Central-West Region, Brazil, Central-West region, it was founded by President Juscelino ...
,
Brazil
Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...
. It was designed by
Oscar Niemeyer
Oscar Ribeiro de Almeida Niemeyer Soares Filho (15 December 1907 – 5 December 2012), known as Oscar Niemeyer (), was a Brazilian architect considered to be one of the key figures in the development of modern architecture. Niemeyer was b ...
in the
Modern architectural style. Construction began on July 30, 1960, and the building was completed in 1966. Built in the shape of a truncated pyramid, it is the largest building in Brasilia designed by Niemeyer specifically for the arts. The building was closed for renovation in 1976, and was reopened on April 21, 1981.
The National Theater is operated by Secretary of Culture of the Federal District and is home to three venues; the 60-seat
Alberto Nepomuceno theater, the 407-seat
Martins Pena theater, and the 1,407 seat
Villa-Lobos theater. The complex also includes an exhibition gallery that is accessible to the public.
The Theater began a process of renovation in 2014 and remained close to the public until 2024.
History
Construction of the theater was started on July 30, 1960. The building was structurally complete by January 30, 1961, but construction was then interrupted until early 1966. The Martins-Pena theater was opened on April 21, 1966, and was used for ten years until it was closed on September 4, 1976 during completion of the complex.
Construction was completed by March 1979, and the Villa-Lobos theatre was opened with a concert conducted by
Cláudio Santoro. The Martins-Pena theater was reopened on March 7, and the Alberto Nepomuceno theatre was opened on March 8. On December 1, 1979, the entire complex was closed again to complete renovations, and construction began on an annex which would include offices, rehearsal rooms, and galleries.
The complex was reopened on April 21, 1981, and an annex was opened on June 24, 1981. The theatre was renamed Claudio Santoro National Theater on September 1, 1989, in honor of the Brazilian composer and violinist.
Renovation, closure to the public and reopening
In January 2014, the National Theater began a long renovation process after many irregularities detected by the Public Ministry. It spent a decade close to the public due to budgetary constraints. Although not every room has been entirely reformed, the Theater reopened in December 2024.
Notes
External links
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360 degree interactive panorama of main entrance, and lobby of the Villa-Lobos theater
{{DEFAULTSORT:Claudio Santoro National Theater
Buildings and structures completed in 1966
Buildings and structures in Brasília
Oscar Niemeyer buildings
Theatres in Brazil
Tourist attractions in Brasília