Wicked opens in Rio on July 15 at Cidade das Artes, backed by eight partner brands, with tickets already on sale via Sympla and the venue box office.
Wicked – The Untold Story of the Witches of Oz will open in Rio de Janeiro in the second half of the year. The run starts on July 15 at Cidade das Artes Bibi Ferreira in Barra da Tijuca. In addition, the production arrives supported by eight partner brands.
The musical is presented by Brazil’s Ministry of Culture and carried out through the Rouanet Law incentive mechanism. The production comes from Instituto Artium de Cultura, in co-production with Atelier de Cultura. In this way, the show reaches Rio after a major run in São Paulo.
Sponsors and partners
The musical is sponsored by Bradesco Seguros, Volkswagen, PRIO, and Alelo. It also has support from Eurofarma and Unisys. In addition, Sympla serves as the official ticketing platform, and Bruna Tavares Line is the official makeup partner.
According to Cleto Baccic, co-producer and president of Atelier de Cultura, brand support is essential to deliver large-scale cultural projects. However, he also highlights the incentive mechanism that enabled the Rio season. Thus, the production meets a long-standing demand from local audiences.
Momentum after São Paulo success
“In the first two seasons, in 2016 and 2023, half a million people had already seen Wicked in São Paulo. Last year, another 500,000 attended. At last, we managed to join forces and meet a long-standing demand from Rio audiences. It will be a dream come true for us and for Wicked fans.”
The statement is from Carlos Cavalcanti, president of Instituto Artium de Cultura. He points to the show’s strong track record in São Paulo. In this way, the team expects significant demand in Rio as well.
For Pedro Romani, Instituto Artium’s director of operations, partnerships between sponsors and major productions create effective communication opportunities. In addition, he describes musical theatre as a relationship platform for brands. Therefore, the show aims to deliver visibility and audience connection.
Cast and story
The production stars Myra Ruiz as Elphaba and Fabi Bang as Glinda. The plot explores friendship, empowerment, and love, based on the novel by Gregory Maguire. Next, it reveals the witches of Oz long before Dorothy arrives.
The book is by Winnie Holzman, with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz. However, the Brazilian production also stands out for technical innovation. Thus, it features flight systems, illusion effects, and projection content created specifically for the show.
Elphaba’s flight at the end of Act One is cited as a highlight of the local innovations. In addition, Playbill pointed to the production’s technical advances. In this way, the show reinforces its large-scale staging in Rio.
Tickets and service details
Tickets for the Rio season are already on sale via Sympla and at Cidade das Artes Bibi Ferreira’s official box office. In this way, audiences can choose among different seating areas and price points. Prices range from R$ 50 to R$ 400.
Venue: Cidade das Artes Bibi Ferreira – Av. das Américas, 5300 – Barra da Tijuca, Rio de Janeiro
Sessions: Wednesday, 8:00 p.m.
Sessions: Thursday, 8:00 p.m.
Sessions: Friday, 8:00 p.m.
Sessions: Saturday, 3:00 p.m.
Sessions: Saturday, 7:30 p.m.
Sessions: Sunday, 2:00 p.m.
Sessions: Sunday, 6:30 p.m.
Running time: 180 minutes with a 15-minute intermission
Age rating: All ages. Children under 12 must be accompanied by parents and/or legal guardians
Box office (no convenience fee): Cidade das Artes Bibi Ferreira – Av. das Américas, 5300 – Barra da Tijuca, Rio de Janeiro – RJ, 22793-080
Box office hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. On show days, from 1:00 p.m. until 30 minutes after curtain