Teatro Real facts for kids
Main façade towards Plaza de Oriente
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| Location | Madrid, Spain |
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| Coordinates | 40°25′06″N 3°42′37″W / 40.41833°N 3.71028°W |
| Public transit | Ópera     |
| Operator | Fundación del Teatro Real |
| Type | Theatre |
| Genre(s) | Opera |
| Capacity | 1,958 seats |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | 23 April 1818 |
| Built | 1818–1850 |
| Opened | 19 November 1850 |
| Reopened | 11 October 1997 |
| Rebuilt | 1991–1997 |
| Architect |
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| Type: | Non-movable |
| Criteria: | Monument |
| Designated: | 30 June 1993 |
| Reference #: | RI-51-0008289 |
The Teatro Real (Royal Theatre) is a famous opera house in Madrid, Spain. It's right across from the Royal Palace in Plaza de Oriente. People often call it El Real. It's one of the most important places for music and performing arts in Spain, and one of the best opera houses in Europe.
King Ferdinand VII started building it on April 23, 1818. His daughter, Queen Isabella II, officially opened it on November 19, 1850. The theatre closed in 1925 because of building damage. It reopened on October 13, 1966, as a place for symphonic music. From 1991 to 1997, it had big renovations. It finally reopened as an opera house on October 11, 1997. The building is huge, covering 78,210 square meters, and can hold up to 1,958 people.
Since 1995, a public foundation manages the theatre. This foundation includes people from the Spanish government and the city of Madrid. The Orquesta Sinfónica de Madrid has been its main orchestra since 1998. The Teatro Real won the "Opera Company of the Year" award in 2020/21. The building is also a protected landmark since 1993.
Contents
History of the Royal Theatre
How the Theatre Began
Before the Teatro Real, there was another theatre called Teatro de los Caños del Peral. It opened in 1738 and was named after a nearby fountain. This old theatre was taken down in 1817 to make space for the new, grander Teatro Real.
Early Years of the Royal Theatre
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King Ferdinand VII started the current theatre in 1818. After 32 years of planning and building, Queen Isabella II opened it on November 19, 1850. The first show was La favorite by Donizetti. The theatre is located right across from the Palacio Real, the royal family's official home.
The Teatro Real quickly became one of Europe's best opera houses. For over 50 years, it hosted many famous singers and composers. Great artists like Giuseppe Verdi even visited for their opera premieres. In 1917, the Ballets Russes performed there with famous dancers and composers.
Becoming a Concert Hall
In 1925, the theatre had to close. Building the Madrid Metro had damaged it. There were plans to fix it, but the Spanish Civil War and money problems stopped these big projects. Instead, it had a simpler repair.
The theatre reopened on October 13, 1966. It became a concert hall and the main place for the Spanish National Orchestra. The first concert featured Beethoven's Symphony No. 9. It closed again for more renovations on October 13, 1988.
Big Remodeling Project
On January 2, 1991, work began to turn the theatre back into an opera house. The building was finished in late 1995. Then, it took a few more years to get everything ready. King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofía reopened it on October 11, 1997. The first opera performed was Divinas Palabras with the famous singer Plácido Domingo.
The remodeling kept the old, classic opera house style. However, some seats have a limited view of the stage. To help with this, live streams of the shows are projected on screens. This way, everyone can follow the performance. The stage itself is 1,430 square meters, which is very large!
Amazing Productions
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The Teatro Real puts on about 17 operas and two or three big ballets each year. Their season runs from September to July. They create their own shows or work with other opera houses around the world. They also host concerts and recitals.
Some of the most popular operas performed here include Verdi's Rigoletto (409 times), Aida (378 times), and Il trovatore (356 times).
New Operas Premiered Here
The Teatro Real has been the first place to show many new operas. Besides Divinas Palabras, it has premiered 16 other operas since reopening. These include The Perfect American by Philip Glass and Brokeback Mountain by Charles Wuorinen. It also hosted the first full performance of Isaac Albéniz's Merlin in 2003.
Celebrating 200 Years
The Teatro Real celebrated its 200th birthday from 2016 to 2018. They had a special program of shows. One opera, Bellini's I puritani, was even streamed live on Facebook. This helped people all over the world see the performance. The theatre also took this show on tour to the Savonlinna Opera Festival in Finland.
Theatre Company Leaders
The Orquesta Sinfónica de Madrid has been the main orchestra of the Teatro Real since 1998. Joan Matabosch is the current artistic manager. He used to lead the Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona. Ivor Bolton has been the music director since 2015. In 2022, the theatre announced that Gustavo Gimeno will become the new music director in 2025.
Artistic Directors
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Music Directors
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Special Events at the Theatre
The Teatro Real has hosted many special events. On March 29, 1969, it was the location for the 14th Eurovision Song Contest. A cool metal sculpture by artist Amadeo Gabino was on stage. On February 13, 2011, the theatre hosted the 25th Goya Awards, which are like the Oscars for Spanish movies. Also, every year since 2012, the special Christmas lottery draw takes place here on December 22.
Tours of the Building
You can take guided tours of the Teatro Real every day. These tours last between 50 and 90 minutes and are offered in different languages. They let you explore the building, including the stage, workshops, and rehearsal rooms. It's a great way to learn about how an opera house works!
See also
In Spanish: Teatro Real (Madrid) para niños
- Madrid Symphony Orchestra
- Spanish National Orchestra
- RTVE Symphony Orchestra
- National Auditorium of Music
- Zarzuela
