Pointed out by revelers as one of the most colorful blocks in Rio de Janeiro, Céu da Terra took over the streets of Santa Teresa this morning (11). The flow of people dressed in costume along the slopes of the neighborhood located in the central region of the city started early. The gathering began at 6:30 am and, over time, the block grew in size with the arrival of those who got out of bed later.
“Here, from the poor to the judge, everyone is the same. It’s music by the people for the people. It has a violin, four tubas, a rattle”, said doctor Natália Aires. She and her husband are stamped figures in Céu na Terra and, after 2 years without a parade due to the covid-19 pandemic, expectations were high. “It makes you want to cry. This is life. It is the expression of the people”, she added.
Parade of the Céu na Terra block through the streets of the Santa Teresa neighborhood – Tânia Rêgo/Agência Brasil
History professor Jerônimo Duque Estrada also praised the resumption of revelry. “I’m an atheist, but I’m a carnival believer. I have a daughter who spent 2 years without carnival. She stopped building a carioca alter-ego during this period. So it’s an immense happiness to be back. Carnival builds the ethos of this city. Rio is not the same without Carnival,” he said.
The Céu na Terra block was founded in 2001 and is currently one of the most traditional in the carioca revelry. The parade is marked by the presence of giant dolls of popular inspiration, standard bearers and artists on stilts, in addition to props with images of the Santa Teresa cable car. Revelers in creative costumes are enlivened by marchinhas, sambas, maxixes and frevos played by a band formed with percussion and brass instruments. In addition to original songs, carnival versions of several famous songs such as Odaraby Caetano Veloso, and Mary Maryby Milton Nascimento.
“Céu na Terra is an avant-garde block in the recovery of Rio’s street carnival. During a certain time, you didn’t have blocks playing marchinha, with many people in costume. Céu na Terra helped to recover that. For me, without Céu na Terra There’s no carnival on Earth. It’s a very grassroots block,” said Jerônimo.
With the experience of someone who plays in the band of different blocks, beautician Daniele Castro said that Céu na Terra is one of the most beautiful parades of the Rio de Janeiro carnival. She emphasizes that the effort of revelers to be present is rewarded. “Céu na Terra is difficult. Block in Santa Teresa is difficult. But we love it a lot. And this resumption is pure happiness. I’m seeing friends who no longer live here and came to enjoy with us”.
Schedule
Parade of the Céu na Terra block through the streets of the Santa Teresa neighborhood – Tânia Rêgo/Agência Brasil
In addition to Céu na Terra, the official schedule of the Rio revelry lists another 47 blocks performing this Saturday. Another option for revelers looking for traditional parades linked to the history of the city’s carnival is Simpatia é Escolha Amor. Between the end of the afternoon and the beginning of the night, the block shakes the neighborhood of Ipanema, in the south zone of the Rio de Janeiro capital.
The concentration is scheduled for 2 pm, with the parade starting at 4 pm and ending at 7 pm. Older than Céu na Terra, the block Sympathy is Almost Love performed for the first time in 1985. The combination of yellow and lilac marks its shows. According to popular folklore fed by revelers, the colors were chosen inspired by the packaging of the Engov pill, used to prevent hangovers.
Dona Zica da Mangueira and the founder of the Banda de Ipanema, Albino Pinheiro, are sponsors of Simpatia é Seguim Amor, which also has the affection of other names in the Rio de Janeiro art scene. When he turned 15, a CD was recorded with all 15 sambas released by the block, sung by names like João Nogueira, Martinho da Vila, Beth Carvalho, Monarco and Elza Soares. At the opening of the work, the composer Aldir Blanc recorded a statement, in the form of a samba.
After 2 years without parading due to the pandemic, Sympathy is Almost Love returns to perform its two processions. In addition to the one scheduled for today, the second will take place on Carnival Sunday (19), at the same place and time.
