Dionysus Brazilian Theater Festival Returns to Miami, Putting Women’s Stories, and Clarice Lispector, Center Stage.
Clarice Lispector was a Ukrainian-born Brazilian writer whose groundbreaking work transformed Brazilian literature. Nearly 50 years after her death, her writing continues to captivate audiences worldwide.
Born in 1920, Lispector fled antisemitic violence in Eastern Europe with her family and grew up in Brazil. At 23, she published her debut novel, Near to the Wild Heart (1943), earning the prestigious Graça Aranha Prize.
Her unconventional writing explored identity, loneliness, desire, and the mysteries of existence. Among her most celebrated works is The Hour of the Star, published shortly before her death in 1977. The novel follows Macabéa, an impoverished young woman who moves to Rio de Janeiro, exploring themes of dignity, invisibility, and the desire to belong.
Beyond her novels, Lispector was a journalist, columnist, translator, and children’s author. Her literary influence continues through translations, artistic adaptations, and new generations of readers.
This November, Brazilian theater, literature, music, and visual arts converge in Miami for the third edition of the Dionysus Brazilian Theater Festival. Under the theme “The Stories We Carry: Voices of the Feminine,” the 2026 program celebrates women’s voices and stories through a multidisciplinary lineup that brings Brazilian artists, literature, music, theater, and visual arts into dialogue — including Clarice on Stage, a special series dedicated to the life, work, and legacy of Clarice Lispector, one of Brazil’s most influential literary voices.
Festival Schedule
November 6 & 8 — Senhora dos Raios e dos Ventos — Starring Izabella Bicalho Miami Hispanic Cultural Arts Center
Photo: Ana Clara Cantanhede
A musical theater experience featuring songs from the repertoire of legendary Brazilian singer Maria Bethânia. Through theater and music, the production explores the strength, spirituality, and complexity of the feminine experience. Presented in Portuguese, with written English translation available. Post-show discussion to follow.
November 11 — Clarice Lispector: Life & Work
University of Miami
A special conversation exploring the life, literary work, and legacy of Clarice Lispector with Dr. Steven Butterman, at the University of Miami’s Michele Bowman Underwood Department of Modern Languages and Literatures. Free and open to the public.
November 13 — The Hour of the Star By Clarice Lispector · Starring Bruna Fachetti Miami Hispanic Cultural Arts Center
Photo: James William
A theatrical encounter with one of Clarice Lispector’s most celebrated works, following Macabéa on her journey through invisibility, identity, belonging, and the desire to find a place in the world. Presented in English with translation by Benjamin Moser.
November 15 — An Immersive Theatrical Experience
Miami Hispanic Cultural Arts Center
An immersive dramatic reading inspired by three short stories by Clarice Lispector, bringing together theater, literature, and visual arts in an intimate journey through the feminine universe.
The experience creates a dialogue between Lispector’s words and original artworks by visual artist Silvana Soriano, inviting audiences to move beyond the traditional boundaries between performer, text, artwork, and spectator. Presented in Portuguese at the, with written English translation available.
Founded in 2024 by Brazilian actress, producer and theater educator Ana Bugarim, the Dionysus Brazilian Theater Festival is a Miami-based nonprofit organization, registered under 501(c)(3) status, dedicated to contemporary Brazilian theater as a living language of reflection, cultural exchange and social impact. More than a single annual event, Dionysus operates as a continuous cultural platform, with productions, public workshops and institutional partnerships that strengthen cultural ties between Brazil and the United States.
