Nice and the Rio Carnival exhibition

Let’s face it, we don’t all have the opportunity to go to Rio, especially during the Carnival period. Well, actually that’s not a big deal, because the Rio Carnival is coming to Nice! But beware, you’ll have to be quick to see it.

From February 2 to March 5, 2023, the Musée Masséna is hosting a wonderful temporary exhibition entitled “Nice et le fabuleux Carnaval de Rio“. I had the chance to visit it and I liked it so much that I took a lot of pictures.

First and foremost the location

Villa Masséna, which houses the town museum, has a prestigious address. It is indeed located at 35 Promenade des Anglais, facing the sea and within a landscaped garden. Listed as a Historical Monument, Villa Masséna is a prestigious 19th century villa. Inside, the Empire style – an explicit tribute to Napoleon I – instantly captivates us.

Wood panelling, richly decorated ceilings, paintings, imposing chandeliers, marble columns, furniture, works of art… Everything invites us to step into the history of Nice, from the 1st Empire to the Belle Époque.

The samba school costumes

On the 2nd floor, the temporary exhibition “Nice and the fabulous Rio Carnival” features 22 authentic costumes from the great samba schools of Rio de Janeiro belonging to the collection of Alain Taillard, the commissioner of the exhibition. Get ready to experience a blast of colours and textures! You will walk into the exhibition through a dark room that recreates a sewing workshop. You will spot spools of thread, models drawn on the wall, headdresses in the making… Then you’ll enter the heart of the matter: several rooms full of costumes, each more beautiful and richer than the last, will take you into the fantastic and colourful world of the Rio Carnival.

A simple question may then come to mind… Why does Nice honour the Rio Carnival at the very moment when the Nice Carnival is celebrating its 150th anniversary? I have the answer and you might be surprised. Not many people know it but the Rio Carnival was actually inspired by the Nice Carnival! Well, well! Who would have ever believed it?

For the record

During the late 19th century, royals and aristocrats would come to spend the winter in Nice. Among them was Emperor Pedro II of Brazil and his daughter Princess Isabel. Having attended the carnival and the battle of flowers twice, Princess Isabel suggested, on her return to Rio, that a parade with flowered carriages be held in Flamengo, the fashionable district of Rio at the time, and that the existing carnival be structured. A structural parade with floats did not exist. So it was Nice that inspired not only Rio, but also Pasadena (California) in 1890. Although Nice no longer holds the title of largest carnival in the world, it remains on the podium with Rio and Venice.

Informative panels are displayed throughout the exhibition to give us a better understanding of how the Rio Carnival is organised. Our guide tells us that each costume is worn only for the duration of the big parade on the Sambodrome, i.e. only 72 minutes! But how many months of preparation and making did it take beforehand? For the dancers, singers and musicians, the parade is the fulfillment of a dream, which, for a year, has often allowed them to free themselves from a sometimes difficult daily life. For the onlookers, it is nothing but happiness and wonder!

Information

Exhibition from 2 February to 5 March 2023, from 11:00 to 18:00.
Museum closed on Tuesdays.
Entrance at the back of the building, 65 rue de France.
Price for access to the exhibition and to the permanent collection of the museum: 10€.
15 € with the 3-day ticket giving access to all municipal museums and galleries for 72 hours.
Free with the French Riviera Pass.
Guided tours on reservation: 6,20€ (45mn – minimum 2 persons) – 2,50€ (15mn – maximum 2 persons)
Information and booking: Tel. +33 (0)4 93 91 19 10
Shop, park, parking nearby.
Access : Tram line 2 stop Alsace-Lorraine

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