May 2026 – Singer, songwriter, producer, and musical director Wilson Simoninha will be one of the highlights of São Paulo’s Virada Cultural with his new show ‘Baile do Simonal – México 70’, presented on Sunday (24) at 6 p.m. at the Theatro Municipal de São Paulo. The project brings together music and football to recreate the atmosphere of one of the most emblematic moments in Wilson Simonal’s career.
Inspired by the album México 70, originally released in Mexico, the show offers more than a musical reinterpretation: it revives the dynamic that defined Simonal’s performances, where the audience played a central role in the experience.
During the 1970 World Cup, Wilson Simonal accompanied the Brazilian delegation and performed at venues such as Hotel El Dorado and the Camino Real nightclub, consolidating his status as one of the most internationally recognized Brazilian artists of that time.
“There are World Cups that pass and World Cups that stay with us. The 1970 World Cup was more than a title — it was a state of mind. On the field, Pelé enchanted the world. Off the field, Simonal captivated audiences. From that magic came the album ‘México 70,’” says Wilson Simoninha.
The festive atmosphere of that period inspired a repertoire that crossed languages, styles, and borders. “Aqui é o país do futebol” (“This Is the Country of Football”) captured the spirit of that championship, alongside international renditions such as Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head, I’ll Never Fall in Love Again, “Ecco Il Tipo Che lo Cercavo,” and Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In, as well as Brazilian classics including Garota de Ipanema, “Ave Maria no Morro,” “Que Pena,” “Crioula,” “Kiki,” “As Menininhas do Leblon,” and “Eu Sonhei Que Tu Estavas Tão Linda.”
Now, 56 years later, Wilson Simoninha and his band — joined by special guest Max de Castro — revisit this repertoire through a contemporary interpretation. “More than a concert, ‘México 70’ is an experience. The audience stops being spectators and becomes part of the event, just as in the shows that marked my father’s season during the 1970 FIFA World Cup,” says Max de Castro.
Premiering at the Theatro Municipal de São Paulo during Virada Cultural, the project is also expected to tour other cultural venues and cities afterward.
México 70 is available on all digital platforms and will soon receive a special vinyl reissue by Universal Music Brasil.
The connection to this period also appears in the miniseries Brasil 70: A Saga do Tri (Netflix – premiering May 29), which features songs from the album México 70.
