The performing arts as an object of controversy: the debate on the "decadence of the national theater" (Rio de Janeiro, 1822-1920s)

Abstract

The “decadence of the national theater” is a recurring theme in the debate on the performing arts in Brazil from the 19th century to the beginning of the 20th. This article aims to take the actors’ justifications seriously and demonstrate how this debate plays a structuring role in the local society of the spectacle. By analyzing this discussion in Rio’s newspapers, it is argued that attention should be paid to the uses that are made of the debate and its social effects, rather than judging the veracity of what is said. The debaters are professionals engaged in the daily life of theatrical practice who seek solutions to the impasses they face, both individually and for the group to which they belong. Through the debate, the society of the spectacle clarifies its issues and challenges, proposes ways forward, and makes clear the positions of each actor. In short, it is a call for unity as the only way to regenerate theater while at the same time trying to establish a peaceful coexistence between various interests within this universe.