Quitéria Chagas leads Império Serrano in a mini parade at Cidade do Samba, boosting preparations for Carnival 2026.
Queen reinforces bond with the drum corps
The actress, speaker and drum queen Quitéria Chagas represented Império Serrano in the mini parade at Cidade do Samba. The event took place this Saturday (6) and served as a warm-up for Carnival 2026. Organized by Liga RJ, the program gathered Série Ouro schools in special presentations with fewer performers.
For Quitéria, the mini parade strengthens her connection with the drum corps and the work for the next Carnival season. In this way, each performance becomes part of the school’s preparation for the avenue.
“Being with Império at every stage of Carnival is always special. The drum corps is my home and each performance is an opportunity to honor our history and reinforce what we are preparing for the avenue,” she says.
Costume celebrates escrevivência and Black women
For the event, Quitéria wears the costume “Prata da Escrevivência”, created by Belinha Delfim from Ateliê Delfim. The same artist designed the outfit she used at Império’s samba final, when she paid tribute to Conceição Evaristo. Thus, the look keeps a direct dialogue with the school’s storyline.
The silver costume brings elements inspired by the concept of escrevivência, with materials that imitate feathers in a sustainable way. Therefore, the outfit carries symbols connected to the plot and to the strength of women in samba.
“The outfit is all silver, with materials that resemble feathers but are artificial and recycled. It is a queen’s costume, a diva’s costume, full of luxury, and the silver represents the ‘silver of escrevivência’. At the samba final, I was dressed symbolizing Conceição Evaristo, all in gold, and now I come in silver, with another meaning.
Belinha, who also created this look, is a Black woman, young and talented — an important artist in our Carnival. I am surrounded by Black women in samba, each with her own gift and power, and this connects directly with our storyline and with the strength of the women who always walk beside me,” highlights Quitéria.
Historic meeting at Portela
Before the mini parade, the queen also joined the traditional Portela Convida on Friday (5). The historic gathering brought together Império Serrano, Portela and Beija-Flor de Nilópolis at Portela’s quad. In this setting, the event celebrated the union of three major Rio samba schools.
“It is a unique meeting. Standing beside such remarkable queens and sharing this night among three such important schools celebrates the strength of our Carnival,” she says.
