when the american president barack obama visited rio de janeiro in 2011 and made his famous speech from the historic municipal theater ('teatro municipal' in portuguese), arguably the most exuberant and historic building available in the marvelous city.

the building was opened to the public more than an hundred years ago, in 1909. however, its history dates back even further, to in the end of the 19th century, when the city experienced a huge growth spurt, both in size and in economical strength.