Scala Leblon

The Story

This house opened in 1982 in Leblon by Chico Recarey, a Spanish businessman who started as a waiter and became known as the "king of Rio's nightlife." The Scala hosted the musical Golden Rio, a cabaret show featuring Watusi, Grande Otelo, and attracted celebrities such as Frank Sinatra, Liza Minnelli, and heads of state. It also hosted shows by artists like Tom Jobim, Chico Buarque, Caetano Veloso, Tim Maia, and Maria Bethânia. After almost ten years of legal dispute over a 17 million Brazilian real debt with the state government, the land was repossessed in 2010, ending the Scala era in Leblon. The brand survived the move, reopening two days later in the city center, in front of the Municipal Theater, where it remains active to this day, including the traditional Scala Gay Carnival ball.

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