Two of the great names of samba are among the honorees of the first night of parades of the Special Group of the carnival in Rio de Janeiro, this Sunday (19): Arlindo Cruz and Zeca Pagodinho. They were chosen to be plots of the first two schools of the night: Império Serrano and Grande Rio, respectively. In addition, there will be presentations on northeastern aspects and also on freedom of expression.
The schools that parade on this first night face a kind of taboo. Since the inauguration of the Marquês de Sapucaí sambódromo, in 1984, only eight schools that paraded on the first night were champions, against 33 that passed through the avenue on the second night – there were years of divided titles in which both paraded on the second night.
“I believe Grande Rio and Mangueira will be the highlights of Sunday. Grande Rio talking about Zeca Pagodinho, perhaps the most popular plot, moving with the public. But it will have the challenge, as the second school on Sunday, of winning the second championship in a row, which hasn’t been seen since Beija-Flor in 2007 and 2008”, points out journalist Luiz Gustavo Thomaz, who has extensive experience working in Rio’s school barracks.
What’s next
Serrano Empire
Back in the Special Group after four years of absence, the school opens the series of fashion shows with a tribute to one of its greatest idols: Arlindo Cruz. The name of the samba, arlindo’s placesrefers to one of the best-known songs by the sambista, who sang My place to the Madureira district, where the school is based. Arlindo, who is recovering from a stroke he suffered in 2017, has composed more than ten sambas-plot for the school in its history. The fourth biggest champion of Rio de Janeiro’s carnival, with nine titles, the association hasn’t won the trophy since 1982. Like every school that rises from the “Série Ouro” (the access group), it must have difficulties fighting for the top positions, but it will at least try remain in the elite division.
Big River
After winning the first title in its history with a tribute to exu, Grande Rio brings to the avenue one of the great names of samba: Zeca Pagodinho, born in Xerém, a district of the same Duque de Caxias, the school’s hometown. With the good humor and lightness that mark the figure of the sambista, the school will adopt a path different from the 2022 presentation, when it showed itself in a sober and luxurious way to win the unprecedented trophy. Religiosity, simple habits and, of course, the taste for cold beer, one of Zeca’s passions, will be present. As well as some of the best known songs of his career: let life take me where samba has value, my candiá dazzled! I am Grande Rio loaded with axé, my tour turned… in faith!”, says an excerpt from the samba-enredo.
youth
Owner of six Rio carnival trophies, the last one won in 2017, Mocidade Independente de Padre Miguel will be the third school to parade on Sunday and will make a trip to the Brazilian Northeast, more precisely to Caruaru (PE). The school will sing the art of Mestre Vitalino, a great name in clay sculpture in the country, and his disciples. The school’s carnival designer, Marcus Ferreira, got to know the neighborhood of Alto do Moura up close, where the workshops of clay potters are located, and said that he got to know many life stories that the school will show in Sapucaí. There will be no lack of references to other Northeastern icons, such as Padre Cícero and the cangaceiros.
United of Tijuca
The fourth school to parade on Sunday, Unidos da Tijuca also goes to the Northeast. The school will talk about the history and daily life of Baía de Todos os Santos, in Bahia (it’s not a coincidence, the name of the state is derived from this stretch of coast, which includes the capital Salvador). When talking about one of the most culturally effervescent places in the country, the school will show music, gastronomy, religiosity (of indigenous, African and European) – not forgetting, of course, the waters of what is the largest bay in Brazil, with its fish, fishermen and mystical beings such as mermaids. And it will also talk about the simple life of people who live there. “At the meeting of these waters, my treasure shone”, sings the school in a verse of the samba-enredo. Tijuca tries the fifth title of the carnival, being champion three times between 2010 and 2014.
Willow tree
In search of a trophy it hasn’t won since 2009, Salgueiro will present at Sapucaí the plot Delusions of a Red Paradise, on freedom of expression, respect for differences and the fight against oppression. “If everyone has their own way, it’s better to live together without prejudice; in my king’s dream, I want a time of peace, war, hunger and ills never again”, sings an excerpt from the samba. Fifth school to parade on Carnival Sunday in Sapucaí, the association also pays homage to one of the great names in the history of the party: Joãosinho Trinta, who won no less than three titles in four years as a Salgueirense carnival designer in the 1970s.
Hose
Closing the first night of parades, Mangueira is yet another school traveling to Bahia, with the theme The Africas that Bahia Sings. The school will show little discussed aspects of Africa that arrived in Brazil in the northeastern state. Different nations of origin of people who came to Brazil enslaved will be shown and the whole process of the last centuries until the arrival at this moment in history, in which pains and ailments are transformed into a cry of freedom through music and carnival. Among the highlights, the strong female presence in the formation of Bahian culture and religiosity: “When green meets pink, all black is queen”, says the samba-enredo of the school, which has no less than 20 titles of the carioca carnival, the last one conquered in 2019.
Order of Rio Carnival parades – Special Group – Sunday, February 19
10 pm – Serrano Empire
Between 23:00 and 23:10 – Grande Rio
Between 00:00 and 00:20 – Youth
Between 1:00 and 1:30 am – Unidos da Tijuca
Between 2h and 2h40 – Willow
Between 3am and 3:50am – Mangueira
Editing: Rodrigo Durão Coelho
