The finals for the choices of the sambas that the samba schools of the Special Group of Rio de Janeiro will take to the Sambadrome at Marquês de Sapucaí in 2023 start today (7), at 22:00h, and will continue until the 23rd.
According to the schedule of the Independent League of Samba Schools (Liesa), the first among the 12 associations of the so-called elite of Rio’s carnival to choose the samba plot will be Paraíso do Tuiuti and, later, the Mocidade Independente de Padre Miguel. Also this weekend, Mangueira chooses samba tomorrow and Vila Isabel on Sunday (9).
Carnival in 2023 will be on the 19th, 20th and 21st of February.
For Liesa’s marketing director, Gabriel David, the definition of dates will allow the public to follow the finals on different days. “This makes it possible for samba dancers to be in all the blocks of the samba schools of the special group. This was an old wish and we managed to make it happen this year, for the first time in the history of Carnival. It will be very important not only to guarantee that all courts will be full, but also to show the relevance of carnival, so that more people can get to know how the choices work and these big parties that schools prepare in their courts”, he said in an interview. The Brazil Agency.
“We are waiting for 12 very special nights on the school grounds, which will start today, Friday, on the Paraíso do Tuiuti court, and we will end on the 23rd at the Mocidade court. It will be 12 very important days of great festivity”, said David.
He added that those who have not yet seen a samba final will enjoy it very much and those who already know it will have the opportunity to live incredible moments, taking into account that, last year, because of the covid-19 pandemic, there were no finals on the courts.
“The last finals were in 2019 preparing for the 2020 carnival, so it’s been three years without finals on the courts. It will certainly be a memorable and very important meeting for Carnival”, he evaluated.
different days
In the opinion of singer Zé Paulo Sierra, interpreter of Viradouro since 2014, although the intention was to reserve days other than the finals, even so, there will be a coincidence of dates of schools that still have to make semifinals before choosing the winning samba.
“It’s a good idea, but it needs to be refined to make things work better. I think it’s valid, but it’s always good to have a critical eye to always improve. We need to be constantly evolving,” she noted.
Zé Paulo already had the emotion of being the voice that animated a winning school. In the 2020 carnival, he defended the Viradouro de Alma Lavada plot, which resulted in the championship that year. The interpreter likes to participate in the qualifiers to choose the winning samba.
“It’s already a rehearsal for me, which I’m going to present on the avenue. I already have three sambas in my head. One of these three will be chosen and we will treat each one with the affection it deserves. I feel very happy, confident and prepared, mainly because I know the size of the responsibility and how much it means to a samba composer”, he opined.
“Prepare your heart because a great carnival is coming in 2023, not only with the return of the parades on the official calendar date, but also with the mission of closing the greatest show on Earth. Viradouro, certainly with Rosa Maria Egipcíaco, will make a great parade and apply once again for the title of the Carioca Carnival”, he concluded, highlighting the name of the honored by the school, who, according to the plot, is the author of the oldest book written by a black woman in Brazil.
Finals schedule
October 7: Paraíso do Tuiuti
October 8: First Station of Mangueira
October 9: Vila Isabel
October 11: Willow
October 14: Portela
October 15th: Serrano Empire
October 16: Viradouro
October 17: Empress Leopoldinense
October 20: Beija-Flor de Nilópolis
October 21: Great River
October 22: Unidos da Tijuca
October 23: Independent Youth of Father Miguel
