“Fava de Belem, the Musical” commemorates the artist’s 50-year career at the Teatro Riachuelo Rio

The story will be told in three plans. The first shot takes place in the present, during the recording of a documentary honoring Fava de Belem’s 50-year career, and from his memories the other shots emerge. The second level represents childhood memory, in the lyric Belém, which leaves room for imagination between myths and legends. Finally, on the third level, the audience witnesses the process of building Vava’s career into the artist we know today – from Belém to the world. Three actresses will play the role of the singer in childhood, youth and adulthood: Fava is a girl, Fava is a singer, and finally Fava de Belem. At the beginning of the play, plans are made independently; However, from a certain moment, they intersect and complement each other, in a dynamic scenic game.

María de Fátima Balha de Figueiredo, known as Fava de Belem, completes 50 years of her career in 2025. The singer with a sensual voice, who conquered the Brazilian music scene in the mid-1970s, broke patterns of behavior, bringing with her the culture of the entire northern region of the country. According to journalist Arthur da Tavola, it was through the voice of the young Fava, on television, that he was able to discover deep Amazonian Brazil, hitherto unknown to Brazilians in the big capitals. The song was “Filho da Bahia” by Walter Quiroz, which was part of the soundtrack of the first edition of the TV series Gabriela, on TV Globo. And so, at just 18 years old, this girl from the forest entered homes across the country, with all the features that defined her personality: her open smile, her unmistakable laugh, her curves, her full breasts, and her spontaneous and free lifestyle.

From the end of the 1970s onwards, Fava took the lead as an important spokesperson in the fight for women’s rights, singing songs with a feminist and empowering bias, such as: “Bilhete”, “Sob Measure”, and “Que me Come esse man”. Fava was the inspiration for the Diretas Já campaign, at the time of restoration of democracy, as he traveled the country demanding the right of Brazilians to vote for president. The song “Menestrel das Alagoas” became the anthem of the movement and Fava became closer to the people. As a result, he began recording more popular pieces: “Abandonada” and “Nuvem de Tears” – which greatly increased the sales of his recordings. As if her popularity wasn’t enough, the singer has also collected hit songs in several TV series soundtracks, reaching 70 songs that have already covered stories from our dramas.

The montage also delves into the singer’s relationship with spirituality through the Círio de Nazaré, the largest religious event in the world. He interweaves the Catholic faith, the Capoclase faith, religiosity and indigenous roots, while recalling symbolic moments, such as singing for the three popes who visited Brazil. The show also highlights the mambo, cumbia, calypso and crimbus genres that shaped Barra’s musical identity.

Following the course of the rivers, the sound born in the forest crossed the ocean and flowed into Portugal, where Fava became a native and a popular figure among the vados and the Bemba. With his intense and passionate temperament, he captivated the LGBTQIA+ community, opening a channel of dialogue with new audiences. All these moments – from her first appearance on television to her political power, from the cultural transformations to the spirituality that drives her, from international achievements to dialogue with new generations – come alive in the musical.

Finally, the project emphasizes how Fava travels around the world, without breaking away from his Amazonian roots. The mixing of races, peoples, races, and cultural and religious elements are essential elements in his musical work and worldview. The winner of the play is also an ambassador for the Amazon Institute for Environmental Research (IPAM) and the Sustainable Amazon Foundation, as well as being one of the voices that encouraged Belém’s selection to host the latest edition of COP – the United Nations Climate Change Conference.

Her personality and activism are highlighted in the show, which highlights important moments in her life and career, reaffirming the power of an artist who has inspired generations for 50 years. Take advantage of the club’s special discount to live this experience with a 50% discount on up to two tickets. Five decades of artistry, courage, and authenticity come together in this musical that celebrates Fava de Belem in all its greatness!