The 6 most popular theatres in Barcelona

The Most popular theatres in Barcelona respond to the same criteria of variety and tastes as those of other large European cities such as Paris, Berlin o LondonThere are coliseums dedicated to opera and classical music, but also to other more folkloric or dramatic artistic disciplines.

Likewise, the City of Counts offers you theaters with a large capacity for the public and that are a work of art in themselves for their architectural value. But also others of more humble construction that combine their activity with others such as, for example, the film screeningNext, we are going to tell you about all of them in this article about the most popular theatres in Barcelona.

Grand Lyceum Theater

It is the main symbol of Barcelona's theatre. It was inaugurated in 1847 and, from that date until 1989, it was The largest opera house in EuropeThe first building was the work of the architect Miquel Garriga y Roca, but it would be largely destroyed by a fire in 1861.

After him, the reconstruction was entrusted to Joaquín de Gispert and Anglí. A new fire in 1994 required another extensive reconstruction of the Coliseum. But its most tragic episode took place on November 1893, XNUMX, the day the opera season opened. The anarchist Santiago Salvador Franch He threw two bombs into the room, killing twenty people and injuring many others.

The Gran Teatro del Liceo is a construction of neoclassical invoice which continues to offer opera performances today. However, it is also home to the Higher Conservatory of Music of the Liceu and has its own symphony orchestra and choir. As a curiosity, it also houses a private club in the British style, the Lyceum Circle.

El Molino, a symbol of the city among the most popular theatres in Barcelona

Also The Mill It was inaugurated in the 1898th century, although it is true that it almost bordered on the XNUMXth century, since it opened its doors in XNUMX. In addition, it is probably the most famous among the most popular theatres in Barcelona and the standard-bearer of those located near the Barcelona's Parallel AvenueIt has always been a café theatre with a marked transgressive character.

In 1910 it was renamed Petit Moulin Rouge, in the image and likeness of the famous one in Paris. Its first building was due to the architect Joaquin Raspall, who designed a noucentista construction. Already in 1929, Josep German He renovated the façade, including the large blades that have characterized it ever since.

In 1997, El Molino closed its doors. However, it was soon acquired by the company Ocio Puro, which renovated it and reopened it in 2010. Since then, it has remained as a room of music hall where you can dine and have a drink while watching a show. The performances are varied and range from revues to flamenco and cabaret. burlesque the theater.

Therefore, we could say that it follows its traditional line of alternative theatre. Not in vain, many artists have been associated with El Molino who, perhaps, did not have a place in other venues, but made a long career on its stage. Probably, the best example of this is María Yáñez García, known as Beautiful Dorita, who had enormous success in the first half of the 20th century. She popularized songs such as Smoking I wait, which he would later sing Sara Montiel.

National Theater of Catalonia

This other coliseum, which is also among the most popular theatres in Barcelona, ​​has a much more formal character. It hosts performances in its halls works of the great classics of dramaturgyIt is also much more modern than the previous ones, as it was built in 1991 with plans by the architect Ricardo Bofill, who gave it an air of new classicism.

It was inaugurated on November 12, 1996 with the performance of the play Angels in America. The millennium is approaching, Tony KushnerDirected by Josep Maria Flotats. However, the official opening took place on September 11 of the following year with the staging of Mr. Esteve's AucaWritten by Santiago Rusiñol in 1917.

It consists of three rooms, called Big, Small and Workshops and gives prominence to pieces translated into Catalan. Its artistic directors have included theatre personalities such as the aforementioned Josep Maria Flotats, Sergi Belbel, Xavier Alberti o Carmen Portaceli.

Teatre Lliure

This theater is also different from the previous ones, since it was created in 1976 as a space to represent most avant-garde worksSince then, it has housed some of the major creations of the independent dramaturgy along with reworkings of classic pieces.

For its location they chose the building of the former cooperative society La Lealtad, in the popular Gracia neighborhood. Its promoters were Fabia Puigserver, Luis Pascual, Carlota Soldevila y Pere Planella. Already in 1989, he joined the Union of European Theatres, founded by Pascual himself and by the Italian director Giorgio Strehler with the aim of exchanging productions between them.

Such was the success of the Teatre Lliure that it soon became too small. In 2001, a new one was opened in the Flower market, a dramatic space installed in the Palace of Agriculture at the Universal Exhibition of Barcelona held in 1929. There are two rooms: the Fabià Puig Puigserver and the Espai LliureHowever, the old one in the Gracia neighborhood was reopened after a renovation in 2010.

Currently, the theatre has two resident companies: the Gelabert-Azzopardi, dedicated to dance and the artist Carlos Santos. In addition to Pascual, he has had as artistic directors: Luis Homar, Josep Montanyès, Alex Rigola, Guillem Graells, Juan Carlos Martel y Julio manrique.

Tivoli Theater 

It is not only one of the most popular theatres in Barcelona, ​​but also one of the oldest. The theatres were opened in 1849. Tivoli Gardens on the current Paseo de Gracia. At that time, they were outside the city walls and, as early as 1869, there is evidence that they were used as a stage for operas, zarzuelas and other musical performances. 

For this reason, in 1880 a building was built covered theatre which would be reformed and expanded in 1919, providing it with almost one thousand seven hundred locations and a modernist decorationSince then, it has been the largest coliseum in the city after the Liceu and has even functioned as a cinema for a long time. 

However, great artists have performed at the Tivoli. Among them, the best zarzuela composers such as Ruperto Chapí, Amadeo Vives y Thomas Breton. They were also performed by the greatest of the genre. For example, Mercè Capsir, Miguel Fleta, Conchita Panades o Emili Vendrell. 

But the Tivoli has also hosted magnificent operas such as Fights and Melisende de Claude Debussy o Lohengrin de Richard Wagner. Likewise, drama has had a home in the Barcelona coliseum, where plays have been performed Santiago Rusiñol o Apeles MestresIt has even been the scene of performances by Joan Manuel Serrat, Peret, Carmen Amaya and even Bruce Springsteen. 

In recent years, the Tivoli Theatre has specialised in musicals, which it combines with performances by popular singers and groups. For example, in 2025, it offers you Chicago, Grease o Disco Saturday Night, but you can also see in it Diana Navarro, The Secrets o Lorenzo Santamaria. However, perhaps the most authentic thing about the coliseum is that it has managed to preserve much of its original style, with modernist decoration of plant motifs and gold-coloured mouldings.

Rome Theater 

Located in the well-known neighborhood of The Raval, is also old, as it was built in 1863. Back then, it was called Catalan Theatre, because its purpose was, above all, to represent works in that language for the popular classes. In fact, it has been one of the great temples of theater in catalan until today. Not in vain, its director from 1870 to 1895 was the Barcelona poet and playwright Frederic Soler, better known as Serafi Pitarra. Likewise, all generations of Catalan actors have performed on its stage, from Enrique Borras to Josep María Pou, to Margarita Xirgu. 

A few years after its inauguration, it was renamed Teatro Romea in honor of the great dramatic actor. Julian Romea YanguasAt the beginning of the 1920s, the businessman bought the coliseum Josep Canals, who subjected it to extensive reform. After this, the Romea was left with three floors and capacity for 660 people.

For years, it was managed by the Government of Catalonia. But, already in 1999, he took charge of its artistic direction Calixto Bieito. It subsequently passed into private hands, but since 2019, the aforementioned director has been the director. Josep María PouIn 2015, the Romea was awarded the Cross of Sant Jordi for his "significant role in the culture and society of Barcelona and Catalonia." 

In conclusion, we have shown you the six Most popular theatres in BarcelonaHowever, as you can imagine, Barcelona has many more. Also very important are the Condal Theatre, located since 1903 on the current Avenida del Paralelo; Poliorama, which is on Las Ramblas under the facilities of the Royal Academy of Sciences and Arts of Barcelona, ​​or the Victoria, which has been dedicated, above all, to variety shows. Come and discover all these beautiful and historic coliseums of the Barcelona.