The season of the Ballet Company of the Theatro Municipal do Rio de Janeiro brings to the stage a production that avoids the obvious and challenges its artists technically: Le Corsaire, a choice that reveals boldness, artistic intelligence, and confidence in its cast.

This ballet is not among the five most frequently performed titles worldwide — Swan Lake (which opened the 2025 season), The Sleeping Beauty, Giselle, Don Quixote, and The Nutcracker (which will close the year, as tradition dictates). Still, it ranks among the ten most important repertoire classics. It represents the creative peak of Marius Petipa, fascinated by the exoticism of the narrative, who created variations and ensemble passages so demanding that only the most accomplished dancers dare to take them on. Le Corsaire is, above all, a showcase of male bravura — with spectacular solos and a virtuosic pas de trois — making it perfectly suited to highlight the emergence of a new generation of dancers being formed before our eyes.

It is rewarding to see that the Theatro Municipal is living through such an admirable phase. Even in the face of financial and structural challenges, the company has found paths of resistance and creativity: popular ticket prices, an intense schedule, and, above all, the courage to take on major works of the repertoire.

In 2022, the Municipal became the first in Brazil to stage the extended version of Le Corsaire. Now, in its third production, the company showcases a thrilling level of technical and artistic unity. By choosing a ballet that is entertaining, complex, and culturally challenging — rather than limiting itself to the safer, more predictable titles — the company has taken a risk that transforms into triumph.

Collective and individual brilliance

This season, the cast demonstrated consistency in every detail. Alyson Trindade (Conrad) and Mateus Imperial (Ali) impressed with athletic vigor and technical precision; Michael William (Lankendem) delivered sharp theatricality; Ana Luíza Azer (Gulnara) added refinement and lyricism. But there is no denying that the star is Marcella Borges as Medora. With lightness, charisma, and musicality, she asserts herself as one of the company’s great soloists, lighting up every appearance.

Costumes and light: a feast for the eyes

While Le Corsaire carries the stereotypes of another era, this staging compensates with sumptuous visual refinement. The costumes are a spectacle in themselves: rich, colorful, and striking. The lighting, precise and inventive, enhances both solos and ensembles, creating atmospheres of adventure, exoticism, and dreamlike fantasy.

The power of renewal

More than a performance, this production symbolizes the strength of a company committed to forming artists of the highest level. Every two months, audiences in Rio have the chance to see a full-length ballet on the historic stage of the Municipal — an achievement remarkable anywhere in the world. The company, formed by young dancers from the Maria Olenewa School of Dance, proves that discipline, talent, and diversity are the driving forces of a vibrant artistic scene.

As I highlighted in Swan Lake, it is worth noting the remarkable development of the male ensemble. In our culture, it remains challenging for male dancers to find support and opportunities, despite many Brazilians having long enjoyed success abroad. Witnessing a male corps de ballet develop with such ability is moving. And for those who grew up watching legends such as Ana Botafogo, Aurea Hammerli, Nora Esteves, and Cecília Kerche — and now see the strength of Márcia Jaqueline, Manuela Roçado, Juliana Valadão, and especially Marcella Borges — it is inspiring to witness this continuity.

With Le Corsaire, the Theatro Municipal delivers more than a memorable performance: it reaffirms its essential role as a space of formation, boldness, and beauty. In times of scarcity, witnessing such splendor feels like a rare privilege. The season runs until August 24. Unmissable.