2009 will be the best yet!!!!

Every year after Carnaval, I have people telling me, "This was the best year ever."  I'm sure I heard this many times in 2008, in 2007, and so on. Maybe the show DOES get better each year.

But, I can predict with some safety that, 2009, will, in fact, be the best Carnaval ever. Lots of signs pointing in that direction---some I can talk about and others I want to be a surprise for that night.

Musically, the Austin Samba School--Academicos da Opera--are rehearsing what they are promising will be their best presentation since they began performing at Carnaval 4 or 5 years ago.  Director Robert Patterson has been sending out emails describing their 2009 show as the best and is bragging about how good the drummers are this year with breaks better than ever and their overall playing much tighter. So, that should point to good things. Aida is the opera theme for this year, so come dressed as an elephant to fit in with their theme!

And Grupo Saveiro is rehearsing new material and will also be bringing a new, young singer for her Austin Carnaval debut. Mariani Ebert is her name and I've seen her perform in NYC and she is really great--a vibrant, engaging personality and wonderful voice. She is also an aspiring actress and has been on at least a couple episodes of Law and Order which is shot in NYC.

Other innovations will have to remain secret, but will be galvanizing, I promise. Just wait, only 5 more weeks.

Christmas is over, so things are about to move into high gear. All the local Austin ticket outlets should have their tickets by the time you see this, and online sales have been quite brisk. So don't risk that ever-looming possibility of a sellout...buy tickets soon! The new online sales system is rolling without a single hitch.

The legend of Austin's Carnaval is growing! If you have friends in Oregon, let them know we'll be launching Portland's first Carnaval Brasileiro on Feb 28, 2009 at the famous Crystal Ballroom (where Jimi Hendrix and the Greatful Dead played back in the '60s). It will feature Grupo Saveiro and Portland's own samba school drummers, the Lions of Batucada--website is www.CarnavalPortland.com  Spread the word!