Carnival Plot themes in Rio do Janeiro parades have amazed tourists all over the world. Although the association that defines the rules for the Carnaval in Brazil prohibits plot themes solely based on foreign cultures, that does not mean Carnival Directors are limited to that. Rio Samba-Schools in the past have used their creativity to produce themes which have both a true Brazilian story but are also intertwined with an European theme, for example. This phenomenon, show us the universality component of the Brazilian Carnival.



As an example in 1962, traditional samba-school Portela created a carnival parade based on Austrian painter Johann Moritz Rugendas, who lived in Brazil for several years, depicting the life and nature of Rio do Janeiro. Another very famous carnival parade in Brazil with a mixed cultural background was made by Acadêmicos do Salgueiro in 1959. The official title of the theme-plot was “Viagem Pitoresca através do Brasil – Debret” or “"A Picturesque Voyage through Brazil” and was written by Nelson de Andrade. Salgueiro´s 1959 theme-plot based on Debrét enjoyed great success and earned the samba-school the second position. That parade was so successful that as a result, the samba-school was invited to parade in Cuba. For those who are not aware, Jean-Baptiste Debret (April 18, 1768 – June 28, 1848) was a French painter, who produced many valuable lithographs depicting the people of Brazil. One of his classic pictures of Brazilian scenes about Rio do Janeiro´s carnival is shown above and below.



Below, the offcial lyrics for this Carnival Parade based on Debret

Viagem Pitoresca e Histórica ao Brasil - Salgueiro Samba School 1959

Authors Djalma Sabiá e Duduca
Salgueiro Singer: Djalma Sabiá


"Obras de vulto e encantos mil
Legou Debret
Às nossas belas-artes, ao Brasil.
Pintou
Com genial saber,
Para sua era reviver!
Foi na verdade um grande artista,
Primaz documentarista
Do Brasil imperial,
Tendo alcançado a galeria imortal.
Retratou nativas maravilhas e coisas mil,
Série de acontecimentos nacionais,
Viajando através do Brasil...
Seu patrimônio histórico
Hoje nos traz
O tempo imperial, revelando o valor do pintor
Que exaltou a nossa vida nacional.
Lá-lá-lá-lá-lá-lá"



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