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Theater, classical music (música erudita), and opera may be largely the preserve of the affluent upper classes in Rio, but tickets remain reasonably priced by international standards and can be purchased easily from box offices. Although understanding Portuguese may prove difficult for some visitors, musicals provide a good opportunity to catch the glitzier side of Rio, and the international language of song and dance is considerably more comprehensible. Since many of the venues are in downtown or more out-of-the-way areas, use taxis to get to and from them, as the surrounding streets can feel dangerously deserted by night.
Visual-art venues and museums are also very well endowed, with privately funded cultural centers hosting a rich variety of exhibitions, specific details of which are again best sought out in the Friday editions of the Rio press.
The samba school Salgueiro holds its pre-Carnival rehearsals only on Saturdays from 10 pm. The school also runs other events through the year, like feijoada lunches and cultural fairs, all with live samba music playing all night. Their venue is easily accessed by taxis or rideshare cars, even if you leave late at night.
