Globetrotter by Harold Emert

Does anyone in the younger generation listen to the radio these days? This is my query almost 48 hours after participating in yet another program on Rio de Janeiro´s Radio-MEC Fm ´s “Sala de Concerto” last Friday at exactly 5 pm ending exactly at 6 pm. For those musicians and non-musicians who have never done […]

Será que alguém da geração mais jovem ouve rádio hoje em dia? Essa é a minha pergunta quase 48 horas depois de participar de mais um programa na “Sala do Concerto” da Rádio MEC Fm do Rio de Janeiro na última sexta-feira, exatamente às 17 horas, terminando exatamente às 18 horas. Para os músicos e […]

Sobre o que deve tratar uma obra dramática, seja ela uma peça ou um filme: um acontecimento altamente dramático ou a suposta monotonia da vida cotidiana? Para o escritor americano John (“Rabbit,Run”) Updike e para o cineasta alemão Wim (“Perfect Days”) Wenders, entre outros, a ficção trata de confrontar a realidade monótona da vida cotidiana. […]

What should a dramatic work, call it a play or film ,be about: a highly dramatic occurrence or the supposed humdrum of every day life? To American writer John (”Rabbit,Run”) Updike and German filmmaker Wim(”Perfect Days”) Wenders,among others , fiction is about confronting the humdrum reality of every day life. In Updike´s case the themes […]

Rio de Janeiro The same routine often gets tiring (if not boring) and for this reason your correspondent –although always reluctant to leave his comfortable sofa at home here in Copacabana—gladly accepted Thursday the invitation by Brazil´s top crooner, the immortal Brazilian pop music King Roberto Carlos to visit his transatlantic Italian ship, the Costa […]

Rio de Janeiro A mesma rotina muitas vezes se torna cansativa (se não chata) e, por essa razão, seu correspondente – embora sempre relutante em deixar seu confortável sofá em casa, aqui em Copacabana – aceitou com prazer, na quinta-feira, o convite do maior cantor brasileiro, o imortal rei da música pop brasileira Roberto Carlos, […]

Since this observer- ( in my earlier years) gourmet is currently in Rio de Janeiro for the city’ s gala Carnaval, my associate (and brother) has graciousy sent me this glittering restaurant review for my Blog Globetrotter. PS: The Red Rooster has a gospel brunch ( with a live choir!) Sundays at 11:00 am and […]

Through the magic of internet´s “Meet,” this former cultural reporter, columnist, food, music and theater critic for the now extinct English newspaper in Rio de Janeiro the Brazil Herald, attended Sunday afternoon a reunion fifty years later of our former reporters and editors. The occasion was to herald(!) in a new book of over 496 […]

Por meio da magia do “Meet” da internet, este ex-repórter cultural, colunista, crítico de gastronomia, música e teatro do extinto jornal inglês do Rio de Janeiro, o Brazil Herald, compareceu na tarde de domingo a uma reunião cinquenta anos depois de nossos antigos repórteres e editores. A ocasião foi para anunciar (!) em um novo […]

Coincidência ou destino? Quando pegamos um táxi aqui em Copacabana a caminho do oásis local de boa música pop e jazz, o Blue Note, não precisei pedir ao motorista para abaixar o som do rap horrível ou do loop de bateria repetitivo chamado de “música” que ouvimos hoje em dia na maioria dos táxis. Pois […]

Coincidence or destiny? As we took a taxi here in Copacabana en route to the local oasis of good pop and jazz music, the Blue Note, I didn´t have to ask our driver to lower the sound on the usual awful rap or repetitive drum loop called “music “these days we hear in most taxis. […]

Tentando se atualizar com o mundo do jazz e da música popular brasileira depois de décadas submerso no chamado mundo da música erudita do Brasil, este observador ficou um pouco envergonhado ao se sentar quase no palco da casa noturna Blue Note ou diretamente em frente ao pianista Gilson Peranzzetta e Marcel Powell, guitarrista, enquanto […]

Trying to catch up with the Brazilian jazz and popular music world after decades of being submerged in the so-called “erudite” music world of Brazil, this observer was a bit embarrassed to sit almost onstage at the Blue Note nightspot or directly in front of pianist Gilson Peranzzetta and Marcel Powell, guitarist, as they performed […]

Não pude deixar de pensar, enquanto aproveitava cada minuto de “Tom Jobim, o Musical” no último domingo (8 de dezembro) no Teatro Grande Sunday, no Rio de Janeiro – trinta anos após a morte de Jobim em um hospital de Nova York – nas palavras apropriadas de um conhecido local: “Devido à Internet, não existe […]

I couldn’t help thinking as I enjoyed last Sunday (8 December) every minute of” Tom Jobim, the Musical” at Rio de Janeiro´s Teatro Grande —thirty years after Jobim died in a New York City hospital–the apropos words of a local acquaintance: “Due to internet there is no longer any third world culture.” Agreed, at least […]

Pelo entusiasmo e aplausos da casa lotada na casa noturna “Blue Note”, aqui em Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro, a cantora, violonista e compositora de MPB Zelia Duncan, 60 anos, é bastante popular e conhecida.(Mas não para este oboísta-compositor hibernado, imerso no chamado mundo da música erudita!)O público era jovem, velho, heterossexual, gay etc. e muitos […]

From the enthusiasm and applause of the packed house at the “Blue Note” nightspot here in Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro, MPB (reads “Brazilian Popular Music”) singer, guitarist and composer Zelia Duncan,60, is quite popular and well known.(But not to this hibernated oboist-composer, immersed in the so-called erudite music world!)For the audience was young, old, heterosexual, […]

Minha conclusão sobre a vida nesta idade avançada é que as coisas andam em ciclos apenas com variações ou “não há nada de novo sob o sol”.E foi isso que pensei na noite de quinta-feira, quando assisti à noite de abertura do que já foi o meu e de outros (que moram em Copacabana, Rio […]

My conclusion about life at this late age is that things go in cycles only with variations or “there is nothing new under the sun.” And that´s what I thought on Thursday evening when I attended opening night at what once was my and others (who reside in Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro) beloved Cinema Roxy […]

Os documentários que participam do atual festival internacional de cinema mostram que o Rio de Janeiro pode não ser Viena – onde prosperaram gênios da chamada música clássica como Haydn, Mozart, Schubert e Beethoven – mas, à sua maneira, a chamada Cidade Maravilhosa foi e continua sendo uma capital internacional da música. Os documentários incluem […]

Documentaries participating in the current international film festival display that Rio de Janeiro may not be Vienna— where such geniuses of so-called classical music as Haydn, Mozart, Schubert and Beethoven thrived– but in its own way so-called Marvelous City has been and continues to be an international capital of music. The documentaries include this portrait […]

One week before the Material Gal, Madonna and her estimated 1.5 million fans are about to invade the beaches of Copacabana, the theater of Rio de Janeiro´s iconic Hotel Copacabana Palace is hosting a series of young virtuoso pianists. Friday evening (26 April) Turkish wiz, Can Sarac, 16, astonished local audiences with an impeccable technique […]

Uma semana antes de a Material Gal, Madonna e os seus cerca de 1,5 milhões de fãs invadirem as praias de Copacabana, o teatro do icónico Hotel Copacabana Palace, no Rio de Janeiro, recebe uma série de jovens pianistas virtuosos.Na noite de sexta-feira (26 de abril), Can Sarac, de 16 anos, surpreendeu o público local […]

Hoje em dia, com a inteligência artificial a tomar conta de muitos aspectos da vida, este amante do teatro gostaria de sugerir aos hábeis produtores e directores de uma excelente produção de Nelson Rodrigues “A Falecida” que encontrassem um meio de, através de auscultadores, traduzir simultaneamente em várias línguas para os turistas esta “tragédia carioca” […]

Today with artificial intelligence taking over many aspects of life, this theatre-lover would like to suggest to the able producers and directors of an outstanding production of Nelson Rodrigues “The Deceased” that they find a means via headphones to translate simultaneously in various languages for tourists this “Carioca tragedy” by a Brazilian theatrical genius. For […]

As the 96th edition of the Academy Awards ceremony approaches this Sunday, 10 April 2024, I –always a perennial latecomer—saw a film at the only surviving cinema here in Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro called Joia (Jewel), which I would award even today all the TOP Academy awards. How strange that although nominated for Oscars in […]

It is three hours since I have returned from viewing a film which has deeply touched me: Bradley Cooper´s “Maestro” about the life of the Mozart of our time, American composer, pianist and Maestro Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990).I hesitate to predict that the film– produced by Stephen Spielberg and Martin Scorsese among others–will run away with […]

Maestro, uma homenagem cinematográfica a Leonard BernsteinHá três horas que regressei do um filme que me tocou profundamente: “Maestro”, de Bradley Cooper, sobre a vida do Mozart do nosso tempo, o compositor, pianista e maestro americano Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990).Hesito em prever que o filme – produzido por Stephen Spielberg e Martin Scorsese, entre outros – […]

O Rio de Janeiro não é a mesma Cidade Maravilhosa do samba, da bossa nova e da “Gal de Ipanema” que conheci quando cheguei a este suposto paraíso tropical nos anos 1970. Foi por isso que fiquei um pouco surpreendido quando cheguei num táxi Uber – com medo de apanhar um autocarro e temendo ser […]

Rio de Janeiro is not the same ‘Marvelous City’ of samba, Bossa nova and the “Gal from Ipanema “which I knew when I first arrived in this supposedly tropical paradise in the 1970s. I was therefore a bit surprised when I arrived in an Uber taxi (–afraid to take a bus and fearing to be […]

Besides international films which have won awards at Cannes and other festivals, Rio de Janeiro´s current International Film Festival has some fascinating seminars including one I attended on Tuesday about Dubbing Films and TV series. The 90 minute talk complete with a lively Q & A session was led by the Dubber of the film […]

Writing today his usual fascinating column for the Folha of Sao Paulo newspaper, Ruy Castro observes “Cinema is not real life.” He is referring to such films as’ Casablanca’ where Humphrey Bogart tells the police chief he has come to Casablanca for “the waters” and the chief replies “what waters we are in a desert¹” […]

Invited weeks ago, before last week’ s massacre in Israel ,to view this monologue with scintillating live and traditional Lebanese music, this theater lover could not help asking himself if perhaps he was on Friday, opening evening (13 October 2023) at the inappropriate place during these difficult times in the Middle East. But, on the […]

‘Deep Fake’ via Artificial Intelligence is here ready to take over not only the media and journalism but TV, cinema and especially politics. This is my conclusion after viewing Thursday afternoon (5 October 2023) at the lovely headquarters of the Rio de Janeiro International Film Festival in Gloria a literally shocking lecture-demonstration with an explicit […]

Enquanto o mundo do jornalismo e da literatura parece estar abandonando lenta mas seguramente o papel em favor dos formatos de tela on-line, eBook e Kindle, o mundo teatral parece estar caminhando para peças mais longas em vez de curtas. “Angels in America” (1991), de Tony Kushner, em duas longas noites (exibida em 2020 no […]

As the world of journalism and literature seem to be abandoning slowly but surely paper in favor of online, eBook and Kindle screen formats, the theatrical world seems headed to longer rather than short plays. Tony Kushner´s “Angels in America” (1991) in two long nights (exhibited 2020 in Rio de Janeiro) is now followed currently […]

The Brazilian axiom of the necessity to “slay a lion a day “to survive definitely refers to this magnificent achievement of importing and staging locally what the London Daily Telegraph has called “the most important American play of this century”: ‘the Inheiritance’ by Puerto Rican- American Matthew Lopez,41. The play´s Brazilian rights were obtained by […]

I wish I could curb my enthusiasm but “Copacabana Palace, the Musical, “which opened Thursday evening at—where else—the Teatro Copacabana Palace, is the best theatrical I have seen in a very long time on the local stage. The Mayor of Rio or Brazil´s tourism agency Embratur should immediately hire a plane and send the whole […]

The portrait of an artist as a young man has been the subject of numerous memoirs,novels,films and plays by not only international authors from Ireland´s James Joyce to American playwright Eugene O´Neill but various Brazilian authors, including the late playwright Mauro Rasi (Bauru, Sao Paulo,1949-Leblon, RJ).Coincidentally one day before Brazil´s former President and vehemently anti-intellectual […]

Anyone who has been in Brazil long enough will-–or should—observe that besides a national obsession for football/soccer, a passion for ballet has produced a plethora of ballet dancers who are exported to all parts of the world.And judging from my first night at the ballet Saturday after three years in hibernation due to the pandemic, […]

Rio de Janeiro—The Chairman of the World´s 50 Best Restaurants, Britain´s Charles Reed, of Redhill, announced Wednesday morning with Rio de Janeiro´s mayor Eduardo Paes that Brazil will host on 28 November for the first time the awards ceremony for the 50 best restaurants in Latin America. The gala will be held at the city´s […]

“I discovered the joy of being another person and for this reason it is easier to confront the reality of our own life. If I wasn’t an actor, I would live depressed and have difficulties to overcome personal crisises,” Gustavo Gasparani,55, in an interview about his four decades as an actor. Ironically located near the […]

Uma das mais intrigantes “comédias” (?) que este frequentador de teatro já experimentou está em cartaz no Rio de Janeiro até 30 de julho, depois de uma longa turnê que a levou de São Paulo a Portugal, aos Estados Unidos e de volta ao Brasil. “Baixa Terapia”, do dramaturgo argentino Matias Del Federico, 42, e […]

One of the most intriguing “comedies” (?) this theatergoer has ever experienced is currently playing in Rio de Janeiro until 30 JULY after a long tour which has taken it from Sao Paulo to Portugal to the United States and back to Brazil. “Baixa Terapia” (Low Therapy) by Argentine playwright Matias Del Federico,42, and directed […]

With the Covid-19 pandemic finally going away(?) , Rio de Janeiro ´s closest equivalent to Broadway or London´s East End theatre district, the Gavea shopping center with its four theaters is once again glowing and thriving.As comedy is supposedly the best medicine to combat the often-harsh realities of daily life, this theater lover highly enjoyed […]

Dear Frida Kahlo (wherever you are): Today is Thursday,23 March 23, 2023, or four days after I was in Sao Paulo attending and hypnotized by a fascinating exhibition in your honor. You are/were a great Mexican artist; your lovers included the Russian revolutionary Trotsky and your husband-mentor, the great Mexican painter-muralist Diego Rivera, among others. […]

Junte St.Tropez do Brasil.ou Búzios , com o cantor Roberto Carlos,81, e você tem pura magia! Foi o que este observador experimentou na sexta-feira à noite a 173 quilómetros do Rio de Janeiro a bordo do navio de 17 decks MSC Fantasia, onde a resposta do Brasil a Júlio Iglesa e Frank Sinatra encantou mais […]

Put together Brazil’ s answer to St.Tropez,or Buzios( “conchas”) with this nation’s top crooner, Roberto Carlos,81, and you have sheer magic! That’ s what this observer experienced Friday evening 173 kilometers from Rio de Janeiro aboard the 17- deck Brazilian flagship MSC Fantasia where Brazil’ s answer to Júlio Iglesa and Frank Sinatra enchanted over […]

Rio de Janeiro—There are some wonderful Cariocas, or local characters, who may have passed away but continue to live on immortally! Brazil´s 20th century Moliere, playwright, actor, director and drama teacher Joao Bethcourt (Budapest,1924-2006, Rio de Janeiro) is one of these “figuras,” a they call charismatic personalities in Portuguese. In my first years in Rio […]

Rio de Janeiro – Há alguns maravilhosos cariocas, ou personagens locais, que podem ter falecido, mas que continuam a viver imortalmente! O brasileiro Moliere do século XX, dramaturgo, ator, diretor e professor de teatro João Bethencourt (Budapeste,1924-2006, Rio de Janeiro) é uma dessas “figuras”, a que chamam de personalidades carismáticas em português. Em meus primeiros […]

Dear Vivian in Canada, Rabbi Ken in California and others who told me “Don´t go to Vienna because you will only meet antisemitism in that city.”I have just returned from the most wonderful eight days of my life, visiting the capital of the great music I have loved since I was a child.Finally, I was […]

Tips for old-fogie travelers from another old-fogie who has just returned from his first trip abroad after a thirteen years abstinence!(1)Window seats on airplanes are wonderful but perhaps not the best for old- fogies whose legs and prostrates are not what they were 30- 40-,50 years ago .The WC is easily available for those on […]

It is another cold, rainy day in what used to be tropical Rio de Janeiro.As I head for the ICS (Institute for Climate and Society) in Humaita (Rua General Dionisio 14), I am wearing a vest, long-sleeved shirt and a hoodie, or jacket with a hood and carrying an umbrella.I might as well be in […]

It has been thirty five years(!) since I performed oboe recitals in Mumbai and Poona and a mob tried to lynch our taxi in Delhi, India yet this wondrous, magical and dystopian culture continually returns to haunt me.And over twenty five years ago I was playing my oboe for belly dance classes taught by my […]

O recém-reformado Centro de Cultura da Procuradoria Geral do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (PGE) (antigo Convento do Carmo), no centro do Rio de Janeiro, é um exemplo de que a visão e determinação de uma pessoa pode de fato fazer a diferença. Há quatro anos, a Doutora Lucia Lea Guimaraes Tavares, procuradora-geral do Estado […]

Your correspondent is one of the most reluctant persons to leave home.For prior to arriving in Rio de Janeiro in the 1970s (!),I had resided in various parts of the world and know only too well the tears and anguish involved in departing from one place and going to reside in another.On the other hand, […]

(Capítulo I?) Devido a este milagre moderno chamado Facebook, nunca parecemos perder pessoas do nosso passado.Então, enquanto escrevo isso entre meus cinco ou seis leitores estão pessoas que assistiram à minha festa de “despedida” quando saí de Nova York no final dos anos 1960 por “uma pequena experiência fora da cidade”, bem como um amigo […]

(Chapter I?) Due to this modern miracle called Facebook we never seem to lose people from our past.So as I write this among my five or six readers are people who attended my “farewell” party when I departed New York City in the late 1960s for “a little out of town experience” as well as […]