A procession with characters and sounds of reisados, pastoris, maracatus, warriors, seahorses, symphonic and frevo orchestras should take to the streets of Recife Antigo on the 14th.
In an unprecedented preview, the more than 300 artists from the traditional show Baile do Menino Deus: A Christmas joke promote this multicultural event from 4pm.
The streets will walk characters from the show, which include singers, musicians and dancers from popular opera united with popular groups, urban and rural, in the state.
The idea, according to the show’s director, Ronaldo Correia de Brito, is to bring the popular games of the Northeast’s Christmas and carnival cycle to fans and tourists.
“The songs of Lapinha and Pastoril, for example, ended up becoming block marches here in Recife”, says the director.
It was the playwright who created the spectacle to contrast foreign symbols that take over the country at this time of year, such as reindeer, sleighs, snow and Santa Clausl. The spectacle became Intangible Heritage of the city by attracting more than 70 thousand people to presentations.
Multiple references
O Baile interprets the biblical passage with creative freedom to narrate the pilgrimage of two popular players, called Mateus, through the house where the sacred is born. The search brings up fantastic creatures from tradition, cultural manifestations bequeathed by the confluence of the formative peoples (black, indigenous and Iberian) and comes up against the difficulty of opening the door of the house.
The performance brings together, on stage, manifestations such as songs, dances, games, customs, prayers, folklore figures. The staging incorporates elements from Afro-descendant and indigenous roots.
In 2025, names like Flávio Leandro, exponent of forró, and Maestro Spok, icon of Brazilian frevo and jazz, are in the cast of the show.
The show’s director says that the ball incorporates elements from the contemporary scene.
“We are a great spectacle. Recife sees itself, identifies itself and loves this spectacle”, says Ronaldo Correia de Brito.
Folk art
You Dancers come from popular schools in Frevo and dance in caboclinhos and maracatuswith a popular background. He adds that hip-hop artists will be present also, for example.
“A group from the outskirts of the Arruda canal, which is one of the most vulnerable favelas here in Recife, occupy the scene for six minutes. It is an apotheosis and one of the biggest successes of this show.”
The director is proud that the show is 42 years old and, since 2003, and became the “biggest Christmas show in the country”.
“This year, we have the incorporation of new songs, texts and characters”, he said.
