“There is certainly potential for an agreement and also for the participation of young talents in the musical events of the casinos. Once the activity in Brazil is approved, leaving the current clandestine context, the casinos could symbolize an important approximation with the university context due to the Leisure and Tourism, Music and Information Systems courses, among others,” they say.
Luiz Carlos Prestes Filho: Casinos, entertainment, leisure and music is the relationship historical in Brazil?
Uvinha and Ricciardi: Music should always be performed with musicians on stage and listeners in the audience, because no form of mechanical reproduction will replace the live musical performance. Before its ban in 1946, casinos in Brazil contemplated an important alternative for musical activity. As Aristotle said, “music gives us pleasure and makes us think.” The condition of entertainment in art cannot be ignored, especially when it enables permanent spaces for the world of work in music. The tradition of casinos usually includes spaces (rooms or theaters) with a wide stage for musical performances, which enables instrumental and vocal formations, often symphonic, with more than 11 musicians, thus allowing the collective and joint performance of dozens of musicians at the same time. There are reports that the old orchestras, operating in casinos in Brazil, had up to 60 musicians.
Therefore, it is a fruitful alternative not only for composers, arrangers and conductors, but for instrumentalists and singers, who are always in greater numbers, so that they have new possibilities in their world of work. The relationship between leisure and casinos is indeed historic in Brazil. The activity was an important element of entertainment in Brasil Império, being formally interrupted during the government of President Eurico Gaspar Dutra. Until then, famous developments were created to serve as a foundation for the development of entertainment through this type of games, an emblematic example being the Quitandinha Palace, built in 1944, in Petrópolis, which even today symbolizes an important tourist attraction in the mountainous region of Rio de Janeiro.
Would it be important, with the regulation of casinos and bingos in Brazil, to value artistic activities and inside establishments?
Like what already occurs in casinos located on ships sailing in Brazilian waters (and which are formally authorized to operate, attracting great interest on the part of Brazilian tourists), artistic activities can become an important element linked to games of chance, enhancing the much sought after leisure and entertainment experience. Large Brazilian hotels, such as the Copacabana Palace, encouraged the activity and constantly received distinguished guests, such as Frank Sinatra. There are historical reports of great performances by Carmem Miranda and Ary Barroso, among others, on the Casino da Urca stages, before the activity was banned in the country in the mid-1940s. The regulation of casinos in Brazil, in addition to attracting significant budgets for host cities for these developments, could become a relevant leisure entertainment option for our population.
Should Brazilian musical content be given priority in casinos and bingos?
Certainly, there could be a law that contemplates Brazilian musical repertoires as priority, with live music. It is important to value Brazilian repertoires not only today, but from all periods. Brazil has had a rich musical production (of Brazilian composers) since the colonial period, in the most diverse genres: sacred music, military music, opera, symphonic and chamber music, both instrumental and vocal (with chamber ensembles and orchestral-symphonic formation, involving solo singers and choirs). Brazil also has popular musical repertoires, such as batuque, modinha and lundum, since the 18th century. Later, since the end of the 19th century, new musical genres emerged, such as samba (initially only instrumental, then vocal), doubling of bands, chorinho, Brazilian tango, maxixe, frevo, viola caipira fashion, repentistas, bands of fife, the Brazilian waltz and bossa nova etc. All of this rich historical production can be reinvigorated with special laws for musical activity in casinos. It is important, therefore, that this professional alternative is not restricted to DJs, but that it can make feasible and even encourage the work of real musicians, performing live on the stage of the casinos.
In Las Vegas, Macau, Monte Carlo, Punta del Este and in Estoril, artistic activities play an important role. As it would be in Brazil. Could parties like carnival and June parties be part of the calendar / imagery of each establishment?
The mentioned cities are known worldwide for the quality of their casinos and for attracting a large number of tourists who visit them annually, generating foreign exchange and job opportunities in a notable production chain associated with tourism, leisure and entertainment. If the activity in Brazil is approved, in addition to leveraging the economy as mentioned, it could substantially assist in the promotion of local and regional artistic activities, including our Carnaval and June parties. Other leisure activities associated with dance, theater, martial arts, fashion shows and circus could complement this rich entertainment menu for the casino goer in locations throughout Brazil.
Could national platforms for electronic casino and bingo games provide the power to promote Brazilian music?
Yes, if there is a precise definition of the culture industry and, in addition, an even clearer differentiation between the culture industry and popular art.
Could Brazilian universities take advantage of courses in mathematics and computing, design and music to conduct research on software for the gaming industry?
Music departments at Brazilian universities train hundreds of young musicians, even more so today with the proliferation of choirs and young academic orchestras throughout Brazil. Certainly there is potential for an agreement and also for the participation of these young talents in the musical events of the casinos. Once the activity in Brazil is approved, leaving the current context of clandestinity, casinos could also symbolize an important approximation with the university context due to the Leisure and Tourism, Music and Information Systems courses. Among the students of these courses, a good part would be directly benefited, with the possibility not only of internships (and a future professional placement), but it also becomes an interesting locus for the development of research with the central theme of entertainment and its artistic implications.
Source: Luiz Carlos Prestes Filho – Executive Director of newspaper Tribuna da Imprensa Livre
