Major Nations in a Global World: Brazil

time in the United States and was heavily influenced by psychedelic rock made famous by such American groups as Jefferson Airplane. Born during a time of great social upheaval , the lyrics of tropicália songs questioned authority and the role of the “establishment,” especially the government. The theater is immensely popular in Brazil, and no venue is as famous as the Manaus Opera House located deep in the Amazon. Also known as the Amazon Theatre, the landmark is home to the Amazonas Philharmonic and each year hosts the Amazonas Opera Festival. The theatre was built in 1896 by the rich rubber barons who lived in the region. At the time, Manaus was an extremely wealthy city. Construction of the ornate domed building, designed in the Italian Renaissance style popular in the fifteenth to the early seventeenth centuries, took fifteen years to complete. Workers brought many of the building materials from Europe, including Italian marble and furniture from Paris. Today, in addition to classical music, operas, and plays, people can go to the opera house to see movies. The theater also contains a small museum, which tells the story of its rich history.

Manaus Opera House, also known as the Amazon Theatre (Teatro Amazonas), in Manaus, Brazil.

46

MAJOR NATIONS IN A GLOBAL WORLD: BRAZIL