The city now has a new space for big spectacles in the lively region of Cinelândia. Opened in August 2016, the Riachuelo Rio Theater occupies a building that was erected in 1890 and declared a Historical Landmark. The building has previously been a cassino, a theaters and a movie theater, and was also the place where the first sound filme was shown in the country, in 1929.

The restoration project of the Riachuelo Rio Theater preserved a good part of its 126 years of history, including the facade made in Neo-Moorish architecture, designed by the Spanish architect Adolfo de los Rios.The construction work that renewed the building’s equipment opened a new array of possibilities for artistic performances of all genres. The Riachuelo Rio Theater was designed to be a multi-platform space, with cycles of lectures, spectacles, movies and performances.