Municipal Theater of SP and other works: Ramos de Azevedo

If we are going to talk about the greatest architects in Brazil, we cannot forget the architect Francisco de Paula Ramos de Azevedo. He was of great importance to Brazilian architecture , most notably in the city of São Paulo, where he was responsible for the construction of the Municipal Theater of SP.

Among several notable projects, the Ramos de Azevedo office was the largest architecture firm in the history of Brazil. In addition, the office also stands out for being the architecture firm with the longest history in the market.

Do you want to know a little more about the life and work of this important architect ? Just read until the end of the content we have prepared for you.

The Municipal Theatre of SP

The idea for a new theater in the city of São Paulo arose from the needs of the elite of the time. With the fire that destroyed the São José Theater on February 15, 1898, the city of São Paulo found itself without a venue for opera and theater performances.

Thus, a few days later, on February 22, a call for proposals was opened to define the creation of a new theater in the city. The mission was to build something grand, following the standards used in Europe and to accomplish this feat, the famous architect Ramos de Azevedo was chosen.

The project was designed by Ramos de Azevedo, who was assisted throughout the process by Cláudio Rossi and Domiziano Rossi, two Italian architects. Together, the architects wanted the new theater to include a café, a cigar shop and a luxury restaurant.

Furthermore, the project needed to have all the luxury and pomp seen in the theaters of Europe, especially France. Following the artistic movement of the Belle Époque , the project for the new theater was started.

At the same time that the theater project itself was being discussed, the big question arose: what would be the perfect location to build the theater? Several well-known spots in the city were discussed, including Praça João Mendes, Praça da República and even Largo São Francisco.

However, with the expropriation of the Morro do Chá area by the City Council in 1903, the site was chosen and construction began that same year. The work would only be completed 8 years later, and the theater was officially opened on September 12, 1911.

Since there were no tall buildings in the surrounding area at that time, such as the Martinelli and Sampaio Moreira buildings, the view from the beautiful theater was spectacular. Even though the artistic movement of the time was eclectic, the architecture of the theater uses patterns from the Baroque, Renaissance and Art Nouveau periods.

In addition to its external appearance, the theater impressed the population of the time for being the first building to use only electrical energy for lighting.

On the day of the theater's official opening, excerpts from the book O Guarani, by Carlos Gomes, were read, as well as the opera Hamlet, by Ambroise Thomas. Over time, it was noted that many of the theater's performances were completely influenced by European fashion.

Some intellectuals of the time criticized the theater team's choice to only show works from outside the country, demanding that Brazilian culture be showcased. But that changed during the Modern Art Week of 1922, when Brazilian artists entered the scene once and for all.

After the historic episode, the importance of Brazilian artists and art was demonstrated, which, despite being influenced by international movements, is still unique.

The Municipal Theatre that we see today is the result of three renovations, one in 1954, one that lasted from 1986 to 1991 and the last one was done before the centenary in 2011.

The first involved installing new flooring in the dressing rooms, reducing the number of boxes, and installing an organ. The second renovation involved the entire building, with the installation of more modern equipment.

The third renovation was carried out to celebrate the theater's centenary on September 12, 2011. The renovation was complete, with renovation of the stained glass windows, the façade and the entire stage, using the best equipment found in the performing arts sector.

The life of Ramos de Azevedo

Francisco de Paula Ramos de Azevedo was born in the city of São Paulo, on December 8, 1851. While still young, he moved to the city of Ghent, in Belgium, where he began his studies to become an engineer.

However, it is said that during his graduation, the director of the architecture course was so impressed with his drawings that he asked the young man to change courses. Thus, Ramos de Azevedo graduated in architecture and returned to Brazil, settling in the city of Campinas.

In Campinas, Ramos de Azevedo was responsible for the creation of the city's new cathedral, the first of many notable works. A few years later, he was invited to design houses for the São Paulo elite, and moved back to the city of São Paulo .

This is how the Ramos de Azevedo architecture firm was founded, a prominent figure on the São Paulo scene for several decades. With its fame growing after the Municipal Theater project, Ramos de Azevedo participated in several other notable projects.

Among his main public works, we can mention:

• The Pinacoteca, which was inaugurated during the completion period of the Theatro Municipal de SP, in 1905, the project had a team formed by Ramos de Azevedo and Domiziano Rossi;
  
  
• The Post Office Palace, opened in 1922;
  
  
• The Palace of Industries, which was a partnership between the Italian Domiziano Rossi and Ricardo Severo. The project was completed in 1924;
  
  
• The Municipal Market of São Paulo , which was opened in 1933;
  
  
• São Paulo Palace of Justice, opened in 1933;
  
  
• The Pinacoteca Station of 1914;
  
  
• The Belvedere Trianon, which was built in 1916 on the site where MASP currently stands.
  
  

There were several notable projects, many of which can still be seen today in the city of São Paulo. Ramos de Azevedo died on June 1, 1928, at the age of 76, in Guarujá, São Paulo.

Now that you know a little more about the works and life of this remarkable architect, just follow a tour of his main works to get to know them all.

‍