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Inaugurated in 1872 as Teatro Cassino Franco-Brésilien, and renamed in 1880 as the Santana Theatre, the Carlos Gomes Theatre was then renamed as such in 1905, a year after it was bought by Italo-Brazilian entertainment businessman Pascoal Segreto (1868–1920). It was during the Segreto administration that the theater became a reference point for the city’s cultural scene. In the early twentieth century, under Segreto, a pioneer in the movie industry, the venue also hosted short film screenings. Moreover, starting from that period its café, built by Segreto, also became a cultural meeting point for intellectuals. The Carlos Gomes Theatre was reconstructed three times during the twentieth century after it was destroyed by fires. Purchased by the Rio de Janeiro Municipality in 1985, it was reopened to the public in 1992, and remains active today.