This Saturday, September 19, Rio’s audience will enjoy a major free concert at one of Rio’s most iconic landmarks. That’s because the Aquarius Project is back and will bring together Emicida, Leci Brandão, and the Brazilian Symphony Orchestra on stage for a performance that promises to be truly moving. More details here!
This year’s theme will be “Music and Time”
With the theme “Music and Time,” the 2026 edition of the Aquarius Project challenges the idea that time conquers all. After all, a song spans generations and takes on new voices and meanings.
Thus, the show aims to bring together on the same stage the power of symphonic music and the energy of Brazilian popular rhythms, demonstrating that the past and present converge in unique moments.
This Saturday’s performance will be conducted by Maestro Carlos Prazeres at the helm of the Brazilian Symphony Orchestra (OSB), the event’s host orchestra.
The event will also feature rapper and thinker Emicida and legendary samba artist Leci Brandão. In addition, the lineup includes the FTM Ensemble—composed of musicians from the Municipal Theater of São Paulo who reinterpret MPB using classical instruments—and DJ Nyack, a leading figure in the Brazilian hip-hop scene, founder of Discopédia, and music producer.
The Aquarius Project is free and takes place this Saturday
Created in 1972 by the newspaper O GLOBO, the event was founded with the revolutionary purpose of democratizing access to concert music.
Over the course of more than five decades of history, it has become a cultural landmark by bringing the public closer to classical and popular music.
This year, the Aquarius Project will take place at Praça Mauá, with Guanabara Bay in the background and framed by the Museum of Tomorrow and the Rio Art Museum (MAR).
For those who want to enjoy the entire program and make the most of the show, the tip is to arrive early, as the event starts at 2 p.m. Additionally, it’s a good idea to use public transportation, with easy access via the VLT.
