The nation of Brazil presents a land of contrasts: great cities surrounded by lush tropical rainforests. From frenetic Sao Paulo (with a population substantially greater than that of New York City) to beach-loving Rio de Janeiro (twice the size of Los Angeles) to the Oscar Niemeyer-designed modernist capital in Brasilia, Brazil's population dominates the South American continent.

Likewise, Brazil is home to some of the world's most diverse flora and fauna, particularly in the rainforests which cover nearly 60% of the nation's land area (and which account for one third of the world's rainforests.)

As a result, Brazilian artists have had a rich palette of influences from which to draw. Pittsburgh Festival Opera is pleased to welcome two very talented Brazilian artists, Wander Melo and Usiel Illustra, in an exhibit titled Urban Jungle: Brazil in Focus, in Winchester Thurston’s Cabaret Lounge throughout the festival season, 15 June–23 July. The exhibit is free and open to the public, and all of the works displayed in the show are available for purchase. We encourage you to stop in during your visit to support these two up-and-coming artists.