RIO DE JANEIRO — Few Brazilians can declare to dominate their subject as a lot, and at such a younger age, because the 39-year-old Carnival showman Leandro Vieira.

Vieira has turn out to be one of the vital adorned leaders of the annual parade competitors in Rio de Janeiro. This 12 months, as Carnival director of a samba college that hasn’t gained in additional than twenty years, he may cement his identify as one of many best because the festivities kicked off virtually 100 years in the past.

Rio’s is the nation’s premier Carnival parade, and the contestants compete for cash prizes, status and fandom.

Vieira’s job consists of serving to to choose his samba college’s theme for the 12 months, its materials for costumes and who will characteristic on the highest of majestic floats. Finally he decides how his college spends about 10 million Brazilian reals (virtually $2 million).

Vieira’s status as an artist — and his fame as a celebration animal — has stretched effectively past Rio, attaining the sort of superstar a movie director would possibly acquire. He was just lately interviewed on Roda Viva, a public TV conventional program that always listens to probably the most revered Brazilians.

He’s a fixture not solely in Carnival’s formal parade competitions, however of the casual block events all through town presently of 12 months.

“I can’t simply work, I must really feel Carnival on the road to be blissful,” Vieira instructed The Related Press in an interview. “Much more so after a pandemic that made us endure a lot, made us keep house in 2021.”

Vieira’s job title is carnavalesco.

He did it for Mangueira, the preferred samba college in Brazil, the place he gained the parade titles in 2016 and 2019. Later, he lifted two trophies within the second division, which makes him one of the vital profitable lately.

This 12 months he’s carnavalesco for Imperatriz Leopoldinense — named after a former Empress of Brazil — which just lately was relegated to second division and the place he hopes to earn the college’s first trophy since 2001.

Vieira says he doesn’t intention merely to shock or thrill an viewers, however fairly to ship considerate statements.

“I’m not a carnavalesco of surprises. I’m not a person of spectacles,” Vieira mentioned within the interview whereas he concurrently labored on his group’s radio tools that they’ll use to speak throughout their parade.

His college’s parade this 12 months targeted on the lifetime of Twenties and 30s bandit Virgulino Ferreira da Silva, higher identified by Brazilians as Lampião. Vieira says he picks his themes with one motto in thoughts: “It’s the historical past that official historical past doesn’t inform.”

Lampião, for instance, was not portrayed by the samba college solely as a vicious prison but additionally as a courageous man who earned the respect of many fellow Brazilians.

Forward of this 12 months’s parade, Vieira walked by the performers fixing costumes and adjusting particulars with a smile on his face. He made positive all members have been doing their half to sing this 12 months’s theme music — a element that may make a distinction with the judges who sit within the viewers in Rio’s Sambadrome.

A key selection for Imperatriz Leopoldinense this 12 months was who to nominate as queen of the drum part — a job that the college historically has given to celebrities and vogue fashions. Final 12 months it was pop singer Iza.

This time Vieira helped give the nod to a 21-year-old communications scholar and dancer named Maria Mariá who’s from one in all Rio’s low-income favela neighborhoods. She was topped throughout an emotional ceremony final December on the samba college’s headquarters with a headpiece designed by Vieira.

“Leandro is a giant inspiration to us all. He exhibits us we will be the most effective in any subject we like,” Mariá mentioned Tuesday whereas dressed as a satan who teases the character of Lampião.

Vieira takes his function within the Carnival parade trade severely, however says that participating within the vacation’s avenue events is simply as essential for him. Earlier within the week he joined the Prata Preta avenue get together sporting the costume of Brazilian singer Gal Costa, who died final 12 months.

“The soul of the get together is on the road,” he mentioned.