The Gran Teatre del Liceu (, English: Great Theatre of the Lyceum), known as ''El Liceu'', is an opera house in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. Located in La Rambla, it is the oldest running theatre in Barcelona. Founded in 1837 at another location, El Liceu opened at its current location on 4 April 1847. The theatre was rebuilt after two fires in 1861 and 1994 and reopened on 20 April 1862 and 7 October 1999, respectively. On 7 November 1893, on the opening night of the season, an anarchist threw two bombs into the stalls, and some twenty people were killed and many more were injured. Between 1847 and 1989, the Liceu was the largest opera house in Europe by capacity, with its 2,338 seats at the time. Since 1994, the Liceu has been owned and managed by a public foundation, whose Board of Trustees comprises members representing the Ministry of Culture of the Government of Spain, the Generalitat de Catalunya, the

Provincial Deputation of Barcelona The Provincial Deputation of Barcelona (Catalan: ''Diputació Provincial de Barcelona''; Spanish: ''Diputación Provincial de Barcelona'') is the local body charged with the government and administration of the province of Barcelona, Spain. Being ...

and the City Council of Barcelona. The theatre has its own choir, the Cor del Gran Teatre del Liceu; symphonic orchestra, the Orquesta Simfònica del Gran Teatre del Liceu; and college of music, the Conservatori Superior de Música del Liceu.

History

Origins (1837–1847)

In 1837, the '' Liceo Filodramático de Montesión'' (Philodramatic Lyceum of Montesión, now named ''Conservatori Superior de Música del Liceu'') was founded in Barcelona to promote musical education (hence the name "Liceo", or lyceum) and organize scenic representations of opera performed by Liceo students. A theatre was built in the convent building — named ''Teatro de Montesión'' or ''Teatro del Liceo de Montesión'' — and plays and operas were performed, the first of which was Vicenzo Bellini's '' Norma'' (3 February 1838). The repertoire was Italian, the most performed composers being Donizetti and Mercadante as well as Bellini and

Rossini Gioachino Antonio Rossini (29 February 1792 – 13 November 1868) was an Italian composer who gained fame for his 39 operas, although he also wrote many songs, some chamber music and piano pieces, and some sacred music. He set new standards f ...

. The Barcelona premiere of Hérold's '' Zampa'' was held here. In 1838, the society changed its name to ''Liceo Dramático Filarmónico de S. M. la Reina Isabel II'' (Dramatic Philharmonic Lyceum of H.M. Queen Isabel II). Lack of space, as well as pressures brought to bear by a group of nuns (who were the former proprietors of the convent and had recovered rights to return), motivated the Liceu to leave its headquarters in 1844. The last performance there was on 8 September. The Trinitarian convent building located in La Rambla, in the centre of the city, was purchased. The managers of the Liceu entrusted Joaquim de Gispert d'Anglí with a project to make the construction of the new building viable. Two different societies were created: a "building society" and an "auxiliary building society". Shareholders of the building society obtained the right of use ''in perpetuity'' of some theatre boxes and seats in exchange for their economic contributions. Those of the second society contributed the rest of the money necessary in exchange for property of other spaces in the building including some shops and a private club called the ''Círculo del Liceo''. In contrast to many other European cities, where the monarchy took on the responsibility of the building and upkeep of opera houses, the Liceu was funded by private shareholders of what would become the ''Societat del Gran Teatre del Liceu'' (Great Liceu Theatre Society), organized similarly to a trading company or ''societat''. This is reflected in the building's architecture; for example, there is no royal box. The Queen did not contribute to the construction, so the name of the society was changed to ''Liceo Filarmónico Dramático'', removing the Queen's name from it. With Miquel Garriga i Roca as the architect, construction began on 11 April 1845. The theatre was inaugurated on 4 April 1847.

Opening, fire and rebuilding (1847–1862)

The inauguration presented a mixed program including the

premiere A première, also spelled premiere, is the debut (first public presentation) of a play, film, dance, or musical composition. A work will often have many premières: a world première (the first time it is shown anywhere in the world), its first ...

s of José Melchior Gomis' musical ouverture, a historical play ''Don Fernando de Antequera'' by Ventura de la Vega, the ballet ''La rondeña'' (''The girl from Ronda'') by Josep Jurch, and a

cantata A cantata (; ; literally "sung", past participle feminine singular of the Italian verb ''cantare'', "to sing") is a vocal composition with an instrumental accompaniment, typically in several movements, often involving a choir. The meaning of ...

''Il regio himene'' with music by the musical director of the theatre Marià Obiols. The first complete opera, Donizetti's '' Anna Bolena'' was presented on 17 April. At this point, Liceu was the biggest opera house in Europe, with 3,500 seats. Other operas performed in the Liceu during the first year were (in chronological order): '' I due Foscari'' (Verdi), ''Il bravo'' (Mercadante), ''Parisina d'Este'' (Donizetti), ''

Giovanna d'Arco ''Giovanna d'Arco'' (''Joan of Arc'') is an operatic ''dramma lirico'' with a prologue and three acts by Giuseppe Verdi set to an Italian libretto by Temistocle Solera, who had prepared the libretti for ''Nabucco'' and ''I Lombardi''. It is Verdi ...

'' (Verdi), ''Leonora'' (Mercadante), ''

Ernani ''Ernani'' is an operatic ''dramma lirico'' in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Francesco Maria Piave, based on the 1830 play ''Hernani (drama), Hernani'' by Victor Hugo. Verdi was commissioned by the Teatro La Fenice in V ...

'' (Verdi), ''Norma'' (Bellini), '' Linda di Chamounix'' (Donizetti) and '' Il barbiere di Siviglia'' (Rossini). The building was severely damaged by fire on 9 April 1861, but it was rebuilt by the architect

Josep Oriol Mestres Josep is a Catalan masculine given name equivalent to Joseph (Spanish ''José''). People named Josep include: * Josep Bargalló (born 1958), Catalan philologist and former politician * Josep Bartolí (1910-1995), Catalan painter, cartoonist and w ...

and re-opened on 20 April 1862, performing Bellini's '' I puritani''. From the old building, only the facade, the entrance hall and the foyer (Mirrors Hall) remained.

Bombing and civil war (1862–1940)

On 7 November 1893, on the opening night of the season and during the second act of Rossin's opera, ''Guillaume Tell'', two

Orsini bomb The Orsini bomb was a terrorist improvised explosive device built by and named after Felice Orsini and used as a hand grenade on 14 January 1858 in an unsuccessful attack on Napoleon III. The weapons were somewhat commonly used by anarchists in ...

s were thrown into the stalls of the opera house. Only one of the bombs exploded; some twenty people were killed and many more were injured. The attack, carried out by

anarchist Anarchism is a political philosophy and movement that is skeptical of all justifications for authority and seeks to abolish the institutions it claims maintain unnecessary coercion and hierarchy, typically including, though not neces ...

Santiago Salvador The Liceu bombing attack, in which an anarchist threw two bombs from the balcony of Barcelona's Liceu opera house, killed 20 people on November 7, 1893. The bombing was in response to the 1893 execution of Paulí Pallàs following his assassin ...

, deeply shocked Barcelona, becoming a symbol of the turbulent social unrest of the time. The Liceu re-opened its doors on 18 January 1894, but the seats occupied by those killed were not used for a number of years. The second bomb was displayed at the Van Gogh Museum in 2007 during an exhibition on ''Barcelona around 1900''. In 1909, the auditorium ornamentation was renewed. Spanish neutrality during World War I allowed the Catalan textile industry to amass enormous wealth through supplying the warring parties. The 1920s were prosperous years and the Liceu became fully established as a leading opera house welcoming leading singers, conductors and companies such as Sergei Diaghilev's

Ballets Russes The Ballets Russes () was an itinerant ballet company begun in Paris that performed between 1909 and 1929 throughout Europe and on tours to North and South America. The company never performed in Russia, where the Revolution disrupted society. A ...

. When the Second Spanish Republic was proclaimed in 1931, political instability meant that the Liceu suffered a severe financial crisis which was only overcome through subsidies from Barcelona City Council and the regional government of Catalonia. During the Spanish Civil War, the Liceu was nationalized and took the name the Teatre del Liceu – Teatre Nacional de Catalunya (Liceu Opera House – the National Theatre of Catalonia). The opera seasons were suspended. After the war, it was returned to its original owners in 1939.

"Silver Age" and crisis (1940–1980)

From 1940 to the 1960s, the seasons were high-quality ones. 1955, thanks to the creation of a special board, saw a historic event when, for the first time since its foundation, the

Bayreuth Festival The Bayreuth Festival (german: link=no, Bayreuther Festspiele) is a music festival held annually in Bayreuth, Germany, at which performances of operas by the 19th-century German composer Richard Wagner are presented. Wagner himself conceived ...

was staged away from its normal venue. Performances of '' Parsifal'', '' Tristan und Isolde'' and '' Die Walküre'' with innovative stage sets by Wieland Wagner were enthusiastically received. In the 1970s, an economic crisis affected the theatre and the privately based organisation could not afford the increasing budgets of modern opera productions and general quality declined.

New direction and second fire (1980–1994)

The death of in 1980 revealed the need for the intervention of the official bodies if the institution was to remain a leading opera house. In 1981, the Generalitat de Catalunya, with Barcelona's City Council and the Societat del Gran Teatre del Liceu, created the Consorci del Gran Teatre del Liceu (Consortium of the Great Liceu Theater) responsible for the theatre's management. The Deputation of Barcelona and the Spanish Ministry of Culture joined the Consortium in 1985 and 1986 respectively. The Consortium managed to quickly attract the public back to the Liceu owing to a considerable improvement in its artistic standard. This included a more complete and up-to-date perspective of the very nature of an opera performance, a great improvement in the choir and orchestra, careful casting, and attracting the interest of the public to other aspects of productions besides the leading roles alone. This approach, coupled with the new economic support and a more demanding and discerning public, resulted in a high standard of productions. The seasons organised by the Consortium maintained high standards in casting, production and public loyalty, as measured by public attendance, but all this came to a halt with a fire on 31 January 1994. The building was destroyed by a fire caused by a spark that accidentally fell on the curtain during a routine repair. At this time, Paul Hindemith's ''

Mathis der Maler ''Mathis der Maler'' (''Matthias the Painter'' is an opera by Paul Hindemith. The work's protagonist, Matthias Grünewald, was a historical figure who flourished during the Reformation, and whose art, in particular the Isenheim Altarpiece, inspi ...

'' was performing at the theatre and the following opera to be performed was

Puccini Giacomo Puccini (Lucca, 22 December 1858Bruxelles, 29 November 1924) was an Italian composer known primarily for his operas. Regarded as the greatest and most successful proponent of Italian opera after Verdi, he was descended from a long lin ...

's '' Turandot''. Public and institutional response was unanimous on the need to rebuild a new opera house on the same site with improved facilities. The new Liceu is the result of a series of actions to preserve those parts of the building unaffected by the fire, the same ones as had survived the fire in 1861. The auditorium was rebuilt with the same layout, except for the roof paintings which were replaced with new art works by

Perejaume Pere Jaume Borrell i Guinart, known as Perejaume, (born in 1957 in Sant Pol de Mar, Catalonia) is a Spanish contemporary artist. Of self-taught formation he takes clear influences of authors like Joan Brossa, with whom he will share work mixi ...

, and state-of-the-art stage technology. To rebuild and improve the theatre, it became public. The ''Fundació del Gran Teatre del Liceu'' (Liceu Great Theater Foundation) was created and the Societat del Gran Teatre del Liceu handed over the ownership of the building to the Foundation. Some owners disagreed with the decision, which was unsuccessfully challenged in court.

Reopening (1994–present)

From 1994 until its reopening in 1999, the opera seasons in Barcelona took place in Palau Sant Jordi arena (some large-scale performances in 1994), Palau de la Música Catalana, and Teatre Victòria. The rebuilt, improved and expanded theatre opened on 7 October 1999, with

's '' Turandot'', the opera that had been next on the program at the time of the 1994 fire. The new venue had the same traditional horseshoe-shaped auditorium as before but with greatly improved technical, rehearsal, office and educational facilities, a new rehearsal hall, a new chamber opera and small performances' hall, and much more public space. Architects for the rebuilding project were

Ignasi de Solà-Morales Ignasi de Solà-Morales Rubió (Barcelona 1942 - Amsterdam 2001) was an architect, historian and philosopher from Catalonia, Spain.Surtitles, projected onto a screen above the proscenium, are used for all opera performances and some

lieder In Western classical music tradition, (, plural ; , plural , ) is a term for setting poetry to classical music to create a piece of polyphonic music. The term is used for any kind of song in contemporary German, but among English and French sp ...

concerts. The electronic libretto system provides translations (into English, Spanish or Catalan) onto small individual monitors for most of the seats. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the opera house marked Spain's lifting of regulations by playing for an audience of 2,292 plants. The event was livestreamed on social media. Each plant was then donated to healthcare workers at the Hospital Clinic of Barcelona.

Opera house building

The theatre is in La Rambla, in downtown Barcelona. The building has only two facades as the other two sides were limited, until 1994, by residential buildings. Some parts of the first building remain: *The main facade in la Rambla (1847). *The hall and the staircase (1861), with a Vallmitjana's statue of the Music (1901). *The foyer (Saló de Miralls or Mirrors Hall) (1847). It preserves romantic ornamentation with round paintings of musicians, singers and dancers from that time of Pasta,

Rubini Rubini is a surname of Italian origin. Notable people with the surname include: * Cesare Rubini, Italian basketball player * Gabriele Rubini, Italian television presenter * Giambattista Rubini, Italian Catholic cardinal * Giovanni Battista Rubini ...

, Donizetti,

Bellini Bellini is an Italian name, Italian surname, formed as a patronymic or plural form of Bellino (surname), Bellino. People *Family of Italian painters: **Jacopo Bellini (c. 1396–c. 1470), father of Gentile and Giovanni **Gentile Bellini (c. 1429� ...

, Gluck, Marie Taglioni. It was partially redecorated in 1877 by Elies Rogent and the roof painting, with the Parnassus, is from this period. The auditorium was rebuilt after the 1994 fire; it is a faithful recreation of the 1861 auditorium, with some improvements. It has a seat capacity of 2,292, making it one of the largest opera houses in Europe. It is a typical Italian horseshoe-shaped theatre. Maximum length and width are 33 and 27 metres. There is a platea (main floor) and five tiers (or balconies). Boxes, with small rooms attached, are in the fore stage, in the platea and in some galleries. There is no significant physical divisions among boxes: only a low screen separates one box from another. No columns are in the theatre apart from inside the platea giving the appearance of the galleries of a golden horseshoe without visual interruptions. Another peculiarity is in the first gallery where the ''amfiteatre ubicare'' is located. This is a projecting part of this gallery, with a less pronounced horseshoe shape, that allows three ranks of seats to be located there and are considered the best in the theatre. Building expenses were covered by the sale of boxes and seats. Boxes were lavishly decorated by their owners but they disappeared in the 1994 fire. Upper balconies (4th and 5th tiers) are the cheapest seats and are called the ''galliner'' (literally "henroost"). The fore stage, or proscenium, reproduces the old one which was rebuilt in 1909. It has a big central arch with two Corinthian columns on both sides and, among the columns, four tiers of boxes parapets with the wider and more luxurious boxes in the theatre being called ''banyeres'' (literally "bathtubs"). The auditorium ornamentation reproduces that of 1909: sumptuous with golden and poly chromed plaster moldings, as usual in 19th-century European theatres. Lamps are of brass and glass in the shape of a drake. Armchairs on the main floor are made of strained iron and red velvet. In the rebuilding some modern features were introduced. The eight circular paintings in the roof, and the three in the fore stage, were all lost in the fire and have been re-created by contemporary artist

. The stage curtain is a work of the Catalan designer . The new hemispheric lamp in the center of the roof is a platform for technological facilities (lighting, sound and computer). Other technological facilities are control and projecting cabins in some balconies, a "technical floor" over the roof, and high-tech equipment to record and broadcast performances. With computerized cameras, the auditorium could also be used as a television set. Stage facilities are among the most modern and allow quick scene changes and to perform four different sets simultaneously. A new foyer has been built under the main auditorium. It is a room where the main bar and the restaurant are located and is also used to stage concerts, small format performances, lectures, cultural activities, and meetings etc. The adjacent

Liceu metro station Liceu is a Barcelona Metro station situated under the La Rambla, Barcelona, La Rambla between Gran Teatre del Liceu and La Boqueria, Mercat de la Boqueria in the Barri Gòtic, part of Barcelona's district of Ciutat Vella. It is served by Transport ...

of the Barcelona Metro line 3 is named after the theatre.

Artistic history

Performed works

At present, the Liceu is both a receiving and

producing house A producing house is a theatre which ‘manufactures' its own shows in-house (such as plays, musicals, opera, or dance) and perhaps does everything from honing the script, building the set, casting the actors and designing and making the costum ...

, with two or three new productions staged each year. The Liceu company consists of a permanent orchestra and choir and some singers for the supporting roles. Leading roles are usually sung by guest singers.

Stagecraft Stagecraft is a technical aspect of theatrical, film, and video production. It includes constructing and rigging scenery; hanging and focusing of lighting; design and procurement of costumes; make-up; stage management; audio engineering; and p ...

is in part produced internally by the theatre (alone or together with other opera houses) and also rented from other external houses. Until the 1990s, Liceu had its ballet company which was at its best in the 1920–1930s under Joan Magriñà. Most of the performed operas were from the Italian and German schools of the 19th century: Verdi, Wagner, Belcanto authors and in more recent times

Richard Strauss Richard Georg Strauss (; 11 June 1864 – 8 September 1949) was a German composer, conductor, pianist, and violinist. Considered a leading composer of the late Romantic and early modern eras, he has been described as a successor of Richard Wag ...

and

Mozart Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 17565 December 1791), baptised as Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart, was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period (music), Classical period. Despite his short life, his ra ...

are included. The history of Liceu premieres is a good instance of the evolution of European opera tastes. At first opera was only a part of the artistic activities and opera alternated with other forms of performance such

zarzuela () is a Spanish lyric-dramatic genre that alternates between spoken and sung scenes, the latter incorporating operatic and popular songs, as well as dance. The etymology of the name is uncertain, but some propose it may derive from the name of ...

(Spanish light opera), classical dance (''

Giselle ''Giselle'' (; ), originally titled ''Giselle, ou les Wilis'' (, ''Giselle, or The Wilis''), is a romantic ballet (" ballet-pantomime") in two acts with music by Adolphe Adam. Considered a masterwork in the classical ballet performance canon, ...

'' was given its first Barcelona performance in 1847), theatrical performances, magic shows and numerous activities which today might appear more appropriate for a variety concert or a music hall. The first performed operas, Donizetti's '' Anna Bolena'' and Verdi's '' I due Foscari'', are symptomatic of the taste for belcanto and Italian romantic melodrama:

, Donizetti,

, and Verdi etc. They are still in the repertory, and Verdi is by far the most performed composer. The first operas by non-Italian composers which were put on in the Liceu were Ferdinand Hérold's ''Zampa'' (1848), Carl Maria von Weber's '' Der Freischütz'' (1849), Giacomo Meyerbeer's ''Robert le diable'', Auber's ''La muette de Portici'' (1852) and ''Fra Diavolo'' (1853). These were sung in Italian as was the custom of the time. The first performances of '' Il trovatore'' (1854) and ''

La traviata ''La traviata'' (; ''The Fallen Woman'') is an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi set to an Italian libretto by Francesco Maria Piave. It is based on ''La Dame aux camélias'' (1852), a play by Alexandre Dumas ''fils'' adapted from his own 18 ...

'' (1855) led to the crowning of

Giuseppe Verdi Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi (; 9 or 10 October 1813 – 27 January 1901) was an Italian composer best known for his operas. He was born near Busseto to a provincial family of moderate means, receiving a musical education with the h ...

as the king of opera. In 1866 Mozart was staged at the Liceu for the first time with ''Don Giovanni''. 1883 is a landmark when Wagner's '' Lohengrin'' is first performed. From there, and especially from the 1880s to 1950s, Wagner become one of the most beloved and highly regarded composers at Liceu. The theatre had the first staged performance of '' Parsifal'' outside

Bayreuth Bayreuth (, ; bar, Bareid) is a town in northern Bavaria, Germany, on the Red Main river in a valley between the Franconian Jura and the Fichtelgebirge Mountains. The town's roots date back to 1194. In the 21st century, it is the capital of U ...

on 31 December 1913, after the Bayreuth monopoly ended (although performance started 30 minutes before the deadline of 00:00 on 1 January 1914) with Francesc Viñas in the title role and conducted by Franz Beidler. In 1955, the

company visited the theatre and performed three operas. Verismo, especially Puccini, is an esteemed school from the end of 19th century. The first Russian opera was given in 1915 with a great success;

Mussorgsky Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky ( rus, link=no, Модест Петрович Мусоргский, Modest Petrovich Musorgsky , mɐˈdɛst pʲɪˈtrovʲɪtɕ ˈmusərkskʲɪj, Ru-Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky version.ogg; – ) was a Russian compo ...

, Rimsky-Korsakov and Tchaikovsky being often performed. The first years of the 20th century saw

conducting his works. In 1904, Siegfried Wagner conducted a concert and a year afterwards Pietro Mascagni conducted a work. In 1915, impresario Mestres Calvet broadened the repertory and introduced composers such as Mozart, Richard Strauss,

de Falla Manuel de Falla y Matheu (, 23 November 187614 November 1946) was an Andalusian Spanish composer and pianist. Along with Isaac Albéniz, Francisco Tárrega, and Enrique Granados, he was one of Spain's most important musicians of the first hal ...

Stravinsky Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky (6 April 1971) was a Russian composer, pianist and conductor, later of French (from 1934) and American (from 1945) citizenship. He is widely considered one of the most important and influential 20th-century clas ...

, etc. It was a golden age for Russian and German operas which were now sung in their original language. Mestres also was closely associated with the success commencing in 1917 with the ballets of Diaghilev, with Nijinsky, Massine, Lopokova, Chernicheva and other great figures. Years later another famous dancer, Anna Pavlova, was also to perform here. In 1947, the directing company changed and came into the hands of Arquer and Pàmias. In contrast with the preceding years, which had been marked by the almost exclusive programming of the great repertory works, the first season of the new directorship saw a special renewal of the repertoire featuring the first performances in Barcelona of some 100 works by numerous composers. Various revivals featured Donizetti's '' Anna Bolena'', which had first been staged in the Liceu one hundred years earlier. For 33 years, Pàmias was the leading figure of the Liceu's activity during a period when it seemed that it would be impossible to maintain the opera house without any official aid. From the 1950s to the present, the repertory has largely comprised the most performed titles in the world, including practically all the great 20th-century composers: Bartók, Honegger, Gershwin, Berg, Janáček, Weill, Shostakovich, Prokofiev, Britten,

Schönberg Schönberg (german: beautiful hill) may refer to: Places Austria *Schönberg im Stubaital, a municipality in the district of Innsbruck-Land, Tyrol * Schönberg am Kamp, a town in the district of Krems-Land, Lower Austria Belgium * Schönber ...

, Hindemith, etc., along with

Baroque The Baroque (, ; ) is a style of architecture, music, dance, painting, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished in Europe from the early 17th century until the 1750s. In the territories of the Spanish and Portuguese empires including t ...

and classical composers Monteverdi,

Handel George Frideric (or Frederick) Handel (; baptised , ; 23 February 1685 – 14 April 1759) was a German-British Baroque composer well known for his operas, oratorios, anthems, concerti grossi, and organ concertos. Handel received his training i ...

and Gluck. Ballet seasons are an important part of the theatre's activities with some of the best known companies in the world performing, including Diaghilev and

Béjart Béjart is the name of several French actors of the 17th century. Family The four actors listed here were children, and grandchildren, of Marie Hérve and Joseph Béjart (died 1643), the holder of a small government post. There were 10 children ...

Most performed operas

Most performed operas in the history of Liceu are (in January 2009): *Verdi's '' Aida'', with 442 performances from 1877 to 2008. *Verdi's '' Rigoletto'' with 359 performances from 1853 to 2005. *Gounod's '' Faust'' with 297 performances from 1864 to 1988. *Donizetti's '' Lucia di Lammermoor'' with 274 performances from 1849 to 2007. *Donizetti's '' La favorita'' with 263 performances from 1850 to 2002 (last 10 performances are from the French version) *Verdi's '' Il trovatore'' with 259 performances from 1854 to 1993. *Wagner's '' Lohengrin'' with 241 performances from 1883 to 2006. *Puccini's '' La bohème'' with 238 performances from 1898 to 2001. *Rossini's '' Il barbiere di Siviglia'' with 233 performances from 1847 to 1991. *Verdi's ''

'' with 231 performances from 1855 to 2002. *Meyerbeer's ''

Les Huguenots () is an opera by Giacomo Meyerbeer and is one of the most popular and spectacular examples of grand opera. In five acts, to a libretto A libretto (Italian for "booklet") is the text used in, or intended for, an extended musical work suc ...

'' with 228 performances from 1856 to 1971 (mostly in Italian version). *Bizet's ''

Carmen ''Carmen'' () is an opera in four acts by the French composer Georges Bizet. The libretto was written by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy, based on the Carmen (novella), novella of the same title by Prosper Mérimée. The opera was first perfo ...

'' with 205 performances from 1888 to 1993. *Boito's '' Mefistofele'' with 195 performances from 1880 to 1988. *Meyerbeer's '' L'Africaine'' with 191 performances from 1866 to 1977 (mostly in Italian version). *Wagner's '' Die Walküre'' with 182 performances from 1899 to 2008.

Premieres at the theatre

As a prominent theatre the Liceu has been the location for the premieres of several works of theatre and music, and for the Spanish premieres of many musical works. Among these premieres are: *1847 (4 April) Ventura de la Vega's history play ''Don Fernando de Antequera''. *1851 (June) ''El granuja'',

with music by N. Gardyn. *1853 (8 January) Temistocle Solera's Spanish opera ''La hermana de Pelayo''; ''La tapada del retiro'', Nicolau Manent's zarzuela; ''Sueño y realidad'', zarzuela with music by

Felipe Pedrell Felip Pedrell Sabaté (Spanish: Felipe) (19 February 1841 – 19 August 1922) was a Catalan composer, guitarist and musicologist. Life Pedrell was born in Tortosa (Catalonia), and sang as a boy soprano at Tortosa Cathedral from age 9, where he ...

. *1854 (16 February) J. Freixas' opera ''La figlia del deserto''. *1857 (23 May) Nicolau Manent's opera ''Gualtero di Monsonís''. *1858 Pujadas' Catalan

''Setze jutges'' (''Sixteen judges''), the first all-Catalan language play performed at Liceu. *1858 ''Juan Garín, o, Las peñas de Montserrat'', music by Mariano Soriano Fuertes, Nicolau Manent and Francisco Porcell *1859 (12 May) Nicolau Guanyabéns' opera ''Arnaldo d'Erill''. *1859 Josep Anselm Clavé's Catalan

''L'aplec del Remei''. *1867 (23 March) Francesc Sánchez Gavagnach's opera ''Rahabba''. *1874 (28 January) Marià Obiols' opera ''Editta di Belcourt''. *1874 (14 April)

's opera ''L'ultimo Abenzerraggio''. *1878 (27 November) Salvatore Auteri-Manzocchi's opera ''Il negriero'' *1885 (6 June) Manuel Giró's opera ''Il rinnegato Alonso García'' *1885 (12 June) Antoni Baratta's opera ''Lo desengany'', first Catalan language opera sung at Liceu. *1889 (10 July) Francesc Sánchez Gavagnach's opera ''La messagiera''. *1892 (14 May) Tomás Bretón's opera ''Garín''. *1895 (8 May) Isaac Albéniz's opera ''Henry Clifford''. *1896 (5 January) Isaac Albéniz's opera ''Pepita Jiménez''. *1902 (4 January)

's grand-opera ''Els Pirineus''. *1903 (3 December)

Joan Manén Joan may refer to: People and fictional characters *Joan (given name), including a list of women, men and fictional characters *:Joan of Arc, a French military heroine *Joan (surname) Weather events *Tropical Storm Joan (disambiguation), multiple ...

's opera ''Acté''. *1906 (20 January)

Enric Morera {{disambiguation Enric Morera may refer to: * Enric Morera i Viura (1865–1942), Catalan musical composer * Enric Morera i Català Enric Morera i Català (; Oliva, Valencian Community, Valencia, 3 April 1964) is a Spanish politician who is the ...

's opera ''Empòrium''. *1906 (21 April)

's opera ''Bruniselda''. *1907 (21 January)

Joan Lamote de Grignon Joan Lamote de Grignon i Bocquet (; 7 July 1872 – 11 March 1949) was a Catalan Spanish pianist, composer and orchestra director. Life Joan Lamote de Grignon was born and died in Barcelona, the son of parents of French descent, Lluis Lamote de ...

's opera ''Hesperia''. *1912 (17 January)

's ''Titaina'', with libretto by Àngel Guimerà. *1913 (15 January) Jaume Pahissa's first opera ''Gal·la Placídia''. *1913

Jesús Guridi Jesús Guridi Bidaola (25 September 1886 – 7 April 1961) was a Spanish Basque composer who was a key player in 20th-century Spanish and Basque music. His style fits into the late Romantic idiom, directly inherited from Wagner, and with a stron ...

's opera ''Mirentxu'' (premiered as zarzuela in 1910, at Bilbao, and revised as opera by the author) *1916 (18 January)

's opera ''Tassarba''. *1919 (15 February) Jaume Pahissa's opera ''La morisca''. *1920 (24 January) Joaquim Cassadó's ''Lo monjo negre''. *1923 (31 March) Jaume Pahissa's ''Marianela''. *1924 (20 December) A. Marqués' opera ''Sor Beatriu''. *1927 (12 January) Facundo de la Viña's opera ''La espigadora''. *1928 (28 February) Jaume Pahissa's ''La princesa Margarida''. *1929 (12 February)

Ricard Lamote de Grignon Ricard Lamote de Grignon i Ribas (; 25 September 1899 – 5 February 1962) was a Catalan Spanish composer and orchestral conductor. Ricard Lamote de Grignon was born and died in Barcelona. He was the only son of the composer Joan Lamote de Grign ...

's ballet ''Somnis''. *1929 (14 December)

Jose Maria Usandizaga Jose is the English transliteration of the Hebrew and Aramaic name ''Yose'', which is etymologically linked to ''Yosef'' or Joseph. The name was popular during the Mishnaic and Talmudic periods. *Jose ben Abin *Jose ben Akabya *Jose the Galilean ...

's opera ''Las golondrinas'' (premiered as

in 1914 and revised as opera by Ramón Usandizaga) *1932 (3 March)

's opera ''Neró i Acté''. *1935 (15 January) Joan Gaig's opera ''El estudiante de Salamanca''. *1938 Salvador Bacarisse's ballet ''Corrida de feria''. *1948 (10 January) Xavier Montsalvatge's children opera ''El gato con botas''. *1948 (10 January)

Carlos Surinach Carlos Lund (or Carles Suriñach)
i Wrokona (; March 6, 1915 – November 12, 1997) was a Spanish-born

's opera ''El mozo que casó con mujer brava''. *1950 (14 December)

Conrado del Campo Conrado del Campo y Zabaleta (28 October 1878 – 17 March 1953) was a Spanish composer, violinist and pedagogue. Career Del Campo was born in Madrid and became professor at the Real Conservatorio de Música in Madrid in 1915, where he was an ...

's opera ''Lola la Piconera''. *1952 (12 December)

's opera ''Soledad''; his ballet ''Rosario la Tirana''. *1953 (21 May) Antoni Massana's ''Canigó'', the first Catalan-language opera after the Civil War. *1955 (17 December) Ángel Barrios' opera ''La Lola se va a los puertos''. *1955 (19 December) Joaquín Rodrigo's ballet ''Pavana real''. *1956 (28 April) Frederic Mompou and Xavier Montsalvatge's ballet ''Perlimplinada''. *1959 (1 January) Joan Altisent's opera ''Amunt!''. *1960 (17 November)

's opera ''La cabeza del dragón'' (written in 1939). *1960 (1 May) Cristóbal Halffter's ballet ''Jugando al toro'';

Matilde Salvador Matilde Salvador Segarra (23 March 1918 – 5 October 2007) was a Spanish composer and painter. Life Salvador was born and raised in Castellón de la Plana, Valencian Community. She was married to the composer Vicente Asencio (1908–1979). Sh ...

's ballet ''El segoviano esquivo'' *1961 (24 November) Manuel de Falla and Ernesto Halffter's scenic cantata ''Atlàntida''. *1962 (11 December) Xavier Montsalvatge's opera ''Una voce in off''. *1969 (1 February)

Joan Guinjoan Joan Guinjoan i Gispert (28 November 1931 – 1 January 2019) was a Catalan composer and pianist. Life Born in Riudoms, Guinjoan studied at the Conservatori Superior de Música del Liceu in Barcelona. In 1954, he moved to Paris and continued h ...

's ballet ''Els cinc continents''. *1974 (19 January) Matilde Salvador's opera ''Vinatea''. *1975 (29 November) J. Ventura Tort's opera ''Rondalla d'esparvers''. *1986 (22 May) Josep Soler's opera ''Oedipus et Iocasta'' (premiered as oratorio at Palau de la Música Catalana, 1972). *1988 (21 September) Xavier Benguerel's scenic cantata ''Llibre vermell''. *1989 (24 September)

Leonardo Balada Leonardo Balada Ibáñez (born September 22, 1933) is a Catalan American classical composer, who is noted for his operas and orchestral works. Life Balada was born in Barcelona, Spain. After studying piano at the Conservatori Superior de Mús ...

's opera ''Cristóbal Colón''. *2000 (2 October) José Luis Turina's opera ''D.Q., Don Quijote en Barcelona'', with settings by La Fura dels Baus. *2004 (3 November) Joan Guinjoan's opera ''Gaudí''. *2006 (6 April)

Josep Mestres Quadreny Josep Maria Mestres Quadreny (4 March 1929 – 18 January 2021) was a Spanish composer. Biography He studied sciences at the University of Barcelona, taking lessons in composition from Cristòfor Taltabull. In 1968 he started the Catalan Group ...

's camera opera ''El ganxo''. *2009 (20 April) Enric Palomar's opera ''La cabeza del Bautista''.

=Spanish opera premieres

= The Liceu has also been the location for the Spanish premieres of prominent operas. Among them are: *1847

's ''Giovanna d'Arco'' (1845). *1848

Saverio Mercadante Giuseppe Saverio Raffaele Mercadante (baptised 17 September 179517 December 1870) was an Italian composer, particularly of operas. While Mercadante may not have retained the international celebrity of Gaetano Donizetti or Gioachino Rossini beyond ...

's '' Orazi e Curiazi'' (1846). *1849 Carl Maria von Weber's ''Der Freischütz''(1821); Giuseppe Verdi's ''Alzira'' (1847);

Gaetano Donizetti Domenico Gaetano Maria Donizetti (29 November 1797 – 8 April 1848) was an Italian composer, best known for his almost 70 operas. Along with Gioachino Rossini and Vincenzo Bellini, he was a leading composer of the '' bel canto'' opera style dur ...

's ''Les martyrs'' (1840, in Italian). *1853 Daniel-François Auber's ''Fra Diavolo'' (1830). *1854 Giuseppe Verdi's ''Il trovatore'' (1853). *1856 Giuseppe Verdi's ''Les vepres siciliennes'' (1855, 1856), in Italian;

Giacomo Meyerbeer Giacomo Meyerbeer (born Jakob Liebmann Beer; 5 September 1791 – 2 May 1864) was a German opera composer, "the most frequently performed opera composer during the nineteenth century, linking Mozart and Wagner". With his 1831 opera ''Robert le di ...

's ''Les huguenots'' (in Italian) (1836). *1861 Giuseppe Verdi's ''Un ballo in maschera'' (1859). *1862 Giuseppe Verdi's ''Simon Boccanegra'' (1857). *1863

's ''Le prophète'' (in Italian) (1849). *1864 Charles Gounod's ''Faust'' (1859). *1868

's ''Dinorah'' (in Italian) (1859). *1870 Giuseppe Verdi's ''Don Carlos'' (1868, Italian version 1869). *1875 Giuseppe Verdi's ''Requiem'' (1874); Ambroise Thomas's ''Mignon'' (1866). *1876 Carlos Gomes' ''Il guarany'' (1870). *1880 Arrigo Boito's ''Mefistofele'' (1868, rev. 1875). *1883

Amilcare Ponchielli Amilcare Ponchielli (, ; 31 August 1834 – 16 January 1886) was an Italian opera composer, best known for his opera ''La Gioconda''. He was married to the soprano Teresina Brambilla. Life and work Born in Paderno Fasolaro (now Paderno Ponchiell ...

's ''La Gioconda'' (1876). *1885

Richard Wagner Wilhelm Richard Wagner ( ; ; 22 May 181313 February 1883) was a German composer, theatre director, polemicist, and conductor who is chiefly known for his operas (or, as some of his mature works were later known, "music dramas"). Unlike most op ...

's ''Die fliegende Höllander'' (1843). *1887 Richard Wagner's ''Tannhäuser'' (1845, 1861). *1891 Pietro Mascagni's ''Cavalleria rusticana'' (1890). *1894 Pietro Mascagni's ''L'amico Fritz'' (1891);

Jules Massenet Jules Émile Frédéric Massenet (; 12 May 1842 – 13 August 1912) was a French composer of the Romantic era best known for his operas, of which he wrote more than thirty. The two most frequently staged are '' Manon'' (1884) and ''Werther' ...

's ''Manon'' (1884). *1897

Camille Saint-Saëns Charles-Camille Saint-Saëns (; 9 October 183516 December 1921) was a French composer, organist, conductor and pianist of the Romantic music, Romantic era. His best-known works include Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso (1863), the Piano C ...

's ''Samson et Dalila'' (1877). *1898 Giacomo Puccini's ''La bohème'' (1896); Umberto Giordano's ''Andrea Chénier'' (1896). *1899 Richard Wagner's ''Tristan und Isolde'' (1865);

's ''Werther'' (1892). *1900 Umberto Giordano's ''Fedora''(1898); Pietro Mascagni's ''Iris'' (1898);

's ''Siegfried'' (1876);

Christoph Willibald Gluck Christoph Willibald (Ritter von) Gluck (; 2 July 1714 – 15 November 1787) was a composer of Italian and French opera in the early classical period. Born in the Upper Palatinate and raised in Bohemia, both part of the Holy Roman Empire, he g ...

's ''Iphigénie en Tauride'' (1779). *1901 Richard Wagner's ''Götterdammerung''(1876); Engelbert Humperdinck's ''Hänsel und Gretel'' (1893). *1903

Francesco Cilea Francesco Cilea (; 23 July 1866 – 20 November 1950) was an Italian composer. Today he is particularly known for his operas ''L'arlesiana'' and ''Adriana Lecouvreur''. Biography Born in Palmi near Reggio di Calabria, Cilea gave early indicatio ...

's ''Adriana Lecouvreur'' (1902). *1904

Gustave Charpentier Gustave Charpentier (; 25 June 1860 – 18 February 1956) was a French composer, best known for his opera ''Louise''.Langham Smith R., "Gustave Charpentier", ''The New Grove Dictionary of Opera.'' Macmillan, London and New York, 1997. Life and ca ...

's ''Louise'' (1900). *1905

's ''Thaïs'' (1894); Richard Wagner's ''Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg'' (1868). *1907 Pietro Mascagni's ''Amica'' (1905). *1908

's ''Les barbares''(1901). *1910

' ''Salome'' (1905); Eugen d'Albert's ''Tiefland'' (1903) (sung in Catalan). *1911

Claude Debussy (Achille) Claude Debussy (; 22 August 1862 – 25 March 1918) was a French composer. He is sometimes seen as the first Impressionist composer, although he vigorously rejected the term. He was among the most influential composers of the ...

's '' L'Enfant prodigue'' (1884). *1913 Richard Wagner's ''Parsifal'' (1883). *1915 Giacomo Puccini's ''La fanciulla del West'' (1914); Modest Mussorgsky's ''Boris Godunov'' (1869). *1916 Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari's ''Il segreto di Susanna'' (1909); Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's ''Le nozze di Figaro'' (1786). *1919

's ''Le jongleur de Notre-Dame'' (1902); Pietro Mascagni's ''Guglielmo Rattcliff'' (1895) *1920 Pietro Mascagni's ''Isabeau'' (1911). *1921 Richard Strauss' ''Rosenkavalier'' (1911); Vincent d'Indy's ''L'étranger'' (1901). *1922

Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov Nikolai Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov . At the time, his name was spelled Николай Андреевичъ Римскій-Корсаковъ. la, Nicolaus Andreae filius Rimskij-Korsakov. The composer romanized his name as ''Nicolas Rimsk ...

's ''Schneguroschka'' (1885);

Alexander Borodin Alexander Porfiryevich Borodin ( rus, link=no, Александр Порфирьевич Бородин, Aleksandr Porfir’yevich Borodin , p=ɐlʲɪkˈsandr pɐrˈfʲi rʲjɪvʲɪtɕ bərɐˈdʲin, a=RU-Alexander Porfiryevich Borodin.ogg, ...

's ''Prince Igor'' (1890); Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky ''Pikovaia dama'' (1890). *1923 Modest Mussorgsky's ''Khovanshchina'' (1886, 1913 first Western performance). *1924

Antonín Dvořák Antonín Leopold Dvořák ( ; ; 8 September 1841 – 1 May 1904) was a Czechs, Czech composer. Dvořák frequently employed rhythms and other aspects of the folk music of Moravian traditional music, Moravia and his native Bohemia, following t ...

's ''Rusalka'' (1900); Bedřich Smetana's ''Prodaná nevesta'' (1866, The bartered bride); Jacques Offenbach's ''Les contes d'Hoffmann'' (1881);

's ''Hérodiade'' (1881). *1925 Umberto Giordano's ''La cena delle beffe'' (1924); Richard Strauss' ''Intermezzo'' (1924); Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's ''Die Zauberflöte''(1791). *1926 Riccardo Zandonai's ''Francesca da Rimini'' (1914);

's ''The legend of the invisible city of Kitezh'' (1907), (first performance out of Russia), ''Pskovityanka'' (1873, 1892) and ''May night'' (1879). *1927 Zoltán Kodály's ''Háry János suite'' (orchestral suite from opera ''Háry János'') *1928

Igor Stravinsky Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky (6 April 1971) was a Russian composer, pianist and conductor, later of French (from 1934) and American (from 1945) citizenship. He is widely considered one of the most important and influential composers of the ...

's ballet ''La sacre du printemps'' (1913); Giacomo Puccini's ''Turandot'' (1926); Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's ''Die Entfuhrung aus dem Serail'' (1782). *1929

's ''Don Quichotte'' (1910). *1930 Italo Montemezzi's ''L'amore dei tre re'' (1913). *1933 Igor Stravinsky's ''Oedipus rex'' (1927). *1936

's ''Jakobin'' (1897, rev.). *1939

Enric Granados Pantaleón Enrique Joaquín Granados y Campiña (27 July 1867 – 24 March 1916), commonly known as Enric Granados in Catalan or Enrique Granados in Spanish, was a composer of classical music, and concert pianist from Catalonia, Spain. ...

's ''Goyescas'' (1916). *1943 Richard Strauss' ''Ariadne auf Naxos'' (1912). *1948 Giacomo Puccini's ''Il trittico'' (1918);

Ottorino Respighi Ottorino Respighi ( , , ; 9 July 187918 April 1936) was an Italian composer, violinist, teacher, and musicologist and one of the leading Italian composers of the early 20th century. List of compositions by Ottorino Respighi, His compositions r ...

's '' La fiamma'' (1934); Igor Stravinsky's ''Le rossignol'' (1914). *1949 Richard Strauss' ''Elektra'' (1909); Édouard Lalo's ''Le roi d'Ys'' (1888). *1951 Richard Strauss' ''Die Frau ohne Schätten'' (1918). *1952

Gian Carlo Menotti Gian Carlo Menotti (, ; July 7, 1911 – February 1, 2007) was an Italian composer, librettist, director, and playwright who is primarily known for his output of 25 operas. Although he often referred to himself as an American composer, he kept h ...

's ''The consul'' (1950). *1953 Riccardo Zandonai's ''I cavalieri di Ekebù'' (1925). *1954

's ''Amelia al ballo'' (1937);

Béla Bartók Béla Viktor János Bartók (; ; 25 March 1881 – 26 September 1945) was a Hungarian composer, pianist, and ethnomusicologist. He is considered one of the most important composers of the 20th century; he and Franz Liszt are regarded as H ...

's ''Duke Bluebeard's castle'' (1919); Giacomo Puccini's ''La rondine'' (1920, 1924). *1955

Ildebrando Pizzetti Ildebrando Pizzetti (20 September 1880 – 13 February 1968) was an Italian composer of classical music, Musicology, musicologist, and Music criticism, music critic. Biography Pizzetti was born in Parma in 1880. He was part of the "Generation ...

's ''Debora e Jaele''(1921); George Gershwin's ''Porgy and Bess''(1935); Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's ''Eugene Onegin'' (1879). *1956

Henry Purcell Henry Purcell (, rare: September 1659 – 21 November 1695) was an English composer. Purcell's style of Baroque music was uniquely English, although it incorporated Italian and French elements. Generally considered among the greatest E ...

's ''Dido and Aeneas'' (1689). *1957

's ''Maria Egiziaca'' (1932);

's ''The saint of Bleecker Street'' (1955). *1958 Ildebrando Pizzetti's ''Assassinio nella catedrale'' (1958); Carl Orff's ''Die Kluge'' (1943). *1959

Francis Poulenc Francis Jean Marcel Poulenc (; 7 January 189930 January 1963) was a French composer and pianist. His compositions include songs, solo piano works, chamber music, choral pieces, operas, ballets, and orchestral concert music. Among the best-kno ...

's ''Dialogues des Carmelites''(1959); Franco Alfano's ''Cyrano de Bergerac'' (1936). *1962 Richard Strauss' ''Arabella'' (1932). *1963 Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's ''La clemenza di Tito'' (1791). *1964

Alban Berg Alban Maria Johannes Berg ( , ; 9 February 1885 – 24 December 1935) was an Austrian composer of the Second Viennese School. His compositional style combined Romantic lyricism with the twelve-tone technique. Although he left a relatively sma ...

's ''Wozzeck'' (1925); Georg Friedrich Haendel's ''Giulio Cesare'' (1724). *1965

Dmitri Shostakovich Dmitri Dmitriyevich Shostakovich, , group=n (9 August 1975) was a Soviet-era Russian composer and pianist who became internationally known after the premiere of his Symphony No. 1 (Shostakovich), First Symphony in 1926 and was regarded throug ...

's ''Katerina Izmailova'' (1956); Leoš Janáček's ''Jenůfa'' (1904). *1966

José Pablo Moncayo José Pablo Moncayo García (June 29, 1912 – June 16, 1958) was a Mexican pianist, percussionist, music teacher, composer and conductor. "As composer, José Pablo Moncayo represents one of the most important legacies of the Mexican nationalis ...

's ''La mulata de Córdoba'' (1948); Luis Sandi's ''Carlota''; Salvador Moreno's ''Severino'';

Alfredo Keil Alfredo Cristiano Keil (3 July 1850 – 4 October 1907) was a Portuguese romantic composer and painter. Keil was born in Lisbon, the son of Johann Christian Keil (son of Johann Georg Keil and wife Elisabeth ...) and wife (m. Lisbon, 30 A ...

's ''A serrana'' (1899); Francis Poulenc's ''La voix humaine'' (1959);

Henri Busser Henri is an Estonian, Finnish, French, German and Luxembourgish form of the masculine given name Henry. People with this given name ; French noblemen :'' See the 'List of rulers named Henry' for Kings of France named Henri.'' * Henri I de Montm ...

's ''La carrosse du Saint-Sacrement''; Ruggero Leoncavallo's ''La bohème'' (1896). *1969 Igor Stravinsky's ''The Rake's Progress'' (1962);

's ''Lulu'' (1938);

Mikhail Glinka Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka ( rus, link=no, Михаил Иванович Глинка, Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka., mʲɪxɐˈil ɪˈvanəvʲɪdʑ ˈɡlʲinkə, Ru-Mikhail-Ivanovich-Glinka.ogg; ) was the first Russian composer to gain wide recogni ...

's ''One life for the Tsar''. *1971

Kurt Weill Kurt Julian Weill (March 2, 1900April 3, 1950) was a German-born American composer active from the 1920s in his native country, and in his later years in the United States. He was a leading composer for the stage who was best known for his fru ...

's ''Mahagonny''. *1972

Bohuslav Martinu Bohuslav ( uk, Богуслав, yi, באָסלעוו or ''Boslov'') is a city on the Ros River in Obukhiv Raion, Kyiv Oblast (province) of Ukraine. Population: . It hosts the administration of Bohuslav urban hromada, one of the hromadas of Ukra ...

's ''A Greek Passion''; Bedřich Smetana's ''Dalibor''. *1973 Leoš Janáček's ''Katia Kabanova'';

's ''Caterina Cornaro''. *1975 Benjamin Britten's ''Billy Budd'' (1941); Nino Rota's ''Il cappello di paglia di Firenze''; Gian Francesco Malipiero's ''Il capitano Spavento''; Igor Stravinsky's ''Mavra''. *1976 Leoš Janáček's ''From the Dead House''. *1977 Sergei Prokofiev's ''War and Peace'';

Hector Berlioz In Greek mythology, Hector (; grc, Ἕκτωρ, Hektōr, label=none, ) is a character in Homer's Iliad. He was a Trojan prince and the greatest warrior for Troy during the Trojan War. Hector led the Trojans and their allies in the defense o ...

's ''Benvenuto Cellini'';

Luigi Cherubini Luigi Cherubini ( ; ; 8 or 14 SeptemberWillis, in Sadie (Ed.), p. 833 1760 – 15 March 1842) was an Italian Classical and Romantic composer. His most significant compositions are operas and sacred music. Beethoven regarded Cherubini as the gre ...

's ''Medea''. *1985

Arnold Schoenberg Arnold Schoenberg or Schönberg (, ; ; 13 September 187413 July 1951) was an Austrian-American composer, music theorist, teacher, writer, and painter. He is widely considered one of the most influential composers of the 20th century. He was as ...

's ''Moses und Aaron''. *1987

's ''Lulu'' ( Friedrich Cerha's completed version, 1979); Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's ''Lucio Silla''. *1991 Richard Strauss' ''Capriccio'' (1942). *1992

Philip Glass Philip Glass (born January 31, 1937) is an American composer and pianist. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential composers of the late 20th century. Glass's work has been associated with minimal music, minimalism, being built up fr ...

' ''Einstein on the Beach'' (1976); János Vajda's ''Mario and the magician''. *1994 Paul Hindemith's ''Mathis der Maler'' (1938). *1999 Leoš Janáček's ''Vec Makropoulos''. *2000 Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari's ''Sly''. *2001 Benjamin Britten's ''Gloriana''. *2002

's ''Lady Macbeth de Mtsenk'' (original version) (1934);

's ''La favorite'' French version (1850). *2003 Philippe Boesmans' ''

Wintermärchen ' is an opera by Philippe Boesmans to a libretto by Luc Bondy and after Shakespeare's ''The Winter's Tale''. It was premiered on 10 December 1999 at La Monnaie in Brussels. The German premiere followed in 2001 at the Staatstheater Braunschweig. ...

'' (1999). *2004

's ''Cléopâtre'' (1914). *2005 Benjamin Britten's ''A Midsummer Night's Dream'' (1960); Giuseppe Verdi's ''Il corsaro'' (1848); Gioacchino Rossini's ''La gazzetta'' (1816). *2006 Erich Wolfgang Korngold's ''Die tote Stadt''; Georg Friedrich Haendel's ''Ariodante'' (1735). *2007 Hans Werner Henze's ''Boulevard Solitude''(1952);

's ''Le portrait de Manon'' (1894); Giuseppe Verdi's ''Don Carlos'' French original version (1868). *2008 Benjamin Britten's ''Death in Venice''; ''L'ape musicale'' (1789), pasticcio by Lorenzo da Ponte with music by

, Vicente Martín y Soler, Giuseppe Gazzaniga, Domenico Cimarosa, Giordani and Tarchi. *2009

Karol Szymanowski Karol Maciej Szymanowski (; 6 October 188229 March 1937) was a Polish composer and pianist. He was a member of the modernist Young Poland movement that flourished in the late 19th and early 20th century. Szymanowski's early works show the inf ...

's ''Król Roger'' (1926); Héctor Parra's ''Hypermusic prologue'' (2009). *2010 George Benjamin's ''Into the little hill'' (2006). *2011 Agustí Charles ''Lord Byron: un estiu sense estiu'' (2011); György Ligeti's '' Le Grand Macabre'' (1978). *2013

's '' Street Scene'' (1946).

Directors, orchestra, and company

The theatre is managed by a

general director A director general or director-general (plural: ''directors general'', ''directors-general'', ''director generals'' or ''director-generals'' ) or general director is a senior executive officer, often the chief executive officer, within a government ...

intendant An intendant (; pt, intendente ; es, intendente ) was, and sometimes still is, a public official, especially in France, Spain, Portugal, and Latin America. The intendancy system was a centralizing administrative system developed in France. In ...

(''empresari'' or ''administrador''). From 1980 there is also an

artistic director An artistic director is the executive of an arts organization, particularly in a theatre or dance company, who handles the organization's artistic direction. They are generally a producer and director, but not in the sense of a mogul, since the ...

(''director artistic''). General directors: *Albert Bernis (1901–1911) *Francesc Casanovas (1911–1913) *Alfredo Volpini (1913–1914) *Joan Mestres i Calvet (1915–1947) *Josep F. Arquer (to 1959) & Joan Pàmias, (1947–1980) *Lluís Portabella (1981–1986) *Josep M. Busquets (1986–1992) *Jordi Maluquer (1992–1993) *Josep Caminal (1993–2005) *Rosa Cullell (2005–2008) *Joan Francesc Marco (from 2008). Artistic directors: * (1947–1952) *Lluís Andreu (1981–1990) *Albin Hänseroth (1990–1996) *Joan Matabosch (1996–2014) *Christina Scheppelmann (2014–2019).

Orchestra and conductors

The theatre has had its own orchestra from its foundation in 1847, the

Orquestra Simfònica del Gran Teatre del Liceu The Orquestra Simfònica del Gran Teatre del Liceu (''Symphony Orchestra of the Gran Teatre del Liceu'') is the opera orchestra of the Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona, Spain. Founded concurrently with the theatre in 1847 (actually, it continues ...

. It is the oldest still working orchestra in Spain. Its first conductor was Marià Obiols. Orchestra music directors and chief conductors: * Ernest Xancó (1959–1961) * Eugenio Marco (1981–1984) * Uwe Mund (1987–1994) * Bertrand de Billy (1999–2004) *

Sebastian Weigle Sebastian Weigle (born 1961, in East Berlin) is a German conductor and horn player. He is currently ''Generalmusikdirektor'' of the Oper Frankfurt and principal conductor of the Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra. Biography Weigle is a nephew of ...

(2004–2008) *

Michael Boder Michael Boder (born 9 November 1958) is a German conductor of opera and concert who works internationally. The chief conductor of the Royal Danish Theatre, he has conducted regularly at the Vienna State Opera, including the premieres of Cerha's ' ...

(2008–2012) *

Josep Pons Josep Pons (born Josep Pons i Viladomat; 1957) is a Spanish conductor. Biography Pons was born in Puig-reig, Berguedà. He received his musical training at L'Escolania de Montserrat and continued his musical studies in Barcelona with such teac ...

(2012–present) The current music director of the company is

, since 2012. In November 2017, the Liceu announced the extension of Pons' contract through the 2021–2022 season.

Choir conductors

The choir was consolidated during the 1960s by its conductor Riccardo Bottino (1960–1982). From 1982 the choir conductors were (1982–1993), with Vittorio Sicuri (1982–1990), and Andrés Máspero (from 1990). The present choir conductor is William Spaulding.

Stage directors and stagecraft

During the second half of the 19th century, a school of stagecraft and theatrical scenery was developed at the Liceu. After the beginnings with Joan Ballester, well known for his setting for L'Africaine, the leading scenographer was Francesc Soler i Rovirosa, working in the 1880–1900s. The style was very realistic using painted paper flats and curtains. Settings and costumes were made in the theatre workshops. From the 1900s to 1930s the school is represented by scenic painters including Maurici Vilomara, Fèlix Urgellés, Salvador Alarma and Oleguer Junyent. The last of these painters was Josep Mestres Cabanes who painted sceneries in the 1930–1950s.

Singers

Many famous singers have sung at the Liceu. Composer

, when visiting the Liceu, once said: "Ils aiment trop the ténor" (They

he Liceu public He or HE may refer to: Language * He (pronoun), an English pronoun * He (kana), the romanization of the Japanese kana へ * He (letter), the fifth letter of many Semitic alphabets * He (Cyrillic), a letter of the Cyrillic script called ''He'' in ...

love tenors too much). In brackets are the dates of the house debuts and final/most recent performances of prominent singers who have appeared at the Liceu: *1800s: Manuela Rossi-Caccia (1847), (1860/1862),

Giuseppe Mario Giovanni Matteo De Candia, also known as Mario (17 October 1810 – 11 December 1883), was an Italian opera singer. The most celebrated tenor of his era, he was lionized by audiences in Paris and London. He was the partner of the opera singer Giul ...

(1863),

Roberto Stagno Roberto Stagno (; 18 October 1840 ome sources give 1836 as his birth year – 26 April 1897) was a prominent Italian opera tenor. He became an important interpreter of verismo music when it burst on to the operatic scene during the 1890s; ...

(1867), Rosa Vercolini,

Francesco Tamagno Francesco Tamagno (28 December 1850 – 31 August 1905) was an Italian operatic tenor who sang with enormous success throughout Europe and America.Warrack, John and West, Ewan (1992), ''The Oxford Dictionary of Opera'', 782 pages, On 5 February ...

(1876/1890), Adelaida d'Alberti, Francesc Mateu (Francesco Uetam) (1874/1877), Carolina Cepeda (1877), (1881),

Julián Gayarre Sebastián Julián Gayarre Garjón (9 January 1844 in Roncal, Navarre, Spain – 2 January 1890 in Madrid, Spain), better known as Julián Gayarre, was a Spanish opera singer who created the role of Marcello in Donizetti's '' Il Duca d'Alba'' ...

(1881/1888), Victor Maurel,

Francesc Viñas Francesc Viñas i Dordal (27 March 1863 – 14 July 1933) was a Spanish operatic tenor. He is also known by the Spanish version of his name, Francisco Viñas and the Italian version, Francesco Vignas. He was particularly known for his performance ...

(1888/1913), Hariclea Darclée (1894), Luisa Tetrazzini (1896),

Geneviève Vix Geneviève Vix (née Brouwer, December 31, 1879 – August 25, 1939) was a French soprano. She was a descendant of the Dutch painter Adriaen Brouwer.Gourret J. ''Dictionnaire des cantatrices de l'Opéra de Paris.'' Editions Albatros, Paris ...

, (1896), Maria Barrientos (1898/1918),

Rosina Storchio Rosina Storchio (19 January 1872 – 24 July 1945) was an Italian lyric coloratura soprano who starred in the world premieres of operas by Puccini, Leoncavallo, Mascagni and Giordano. Biography Born in Venice in 1872, Storchio studie ...

(1898). *1900s: In 1904

Enrico Caruso Enrico Caruso (, , ; 25 February 1873 – 2 August 1921) was an Italian operatic first lyrical tenor then dramatic tenor. He sang to great acclaim at the major opera houses of Europe and the Americas, appearing in a wide variety of roles (74) ...

(in his only Liceu appearance) participated in two performances of ''Rigoletto''.

Gemma Bellincioni Gemma Bellincioni (born Matilda Cesira Bellincioni) (; 18 August 1864 – 23 April 1950) was an Italian soprano and one of the best-known opera singers of the late 19th century. She had a particular affinity with the verismo repertoire and ...

played the title role in a ''Salomé'', the Catalan singer

Conchita Supervía Conchita Supervía (8–9 December 1895 Steane (2003) – 30 March 1936) was a highly popular Spanish mezzo-soprano singer who appeared in opera in Europe and America and also gave recitals. Early life Supervía was born in Barcelona to an o ...

made her debut. Success was recorded by other performers such as:

Mario Sammarco (Giuseppe) Mario Sammarco (13 December 1868, although some sources say 1867 – 24 January 1930) was an Italian operatic baritone noted for his acting ability. Biography Sammarco was born in Palermo, Sicily, and studied locally with Antonio Can ...

(1902), Adamo Didur (1905),

Mattia Battistini Mattia Battistini (27 February 1856 – 7 November 1928) was an Italian operatic baritone, referred to as the "King of Baritones" in multiple publications.Steane, J.B., 1998. Singers of the Century, vol. 2. Amadeus Press, Portland, pp.&nbs ...

(1906), Graziella Pareto (1906/1928),

Giuseppe Anselmi Antonio Giuseppe Anselmi (6 November 1876, Nicolosi - 27 May 1929, Zoagli) was an Italian operatic tenor. He became famous throughout Europe during the first decade of the 20th century for his stylish performances of lyric roles. He never sang in ...

(1907), Titta Ruffo (1908/1926),

Riccardo Stracciari Riccardo Stracciari (June 26, 1875 – October 10, 1955) was a leading Italian baritone. His repertoire consisted mainly of Italian operatic works, with Rossini's Figaro and Verdi's Rigoletto becoming his signature roles during a long and dis ...

(1909/1939) *1910s–1920s:

Elvira de Hidalgo Elvira Juana Rodríguez Roglán (December 28, 1891 – January 21, 1980), known professionally as Elvira de Hidalgo, was a prominent Spanish coloratura soprano, who later became a teacher and vocal coach. Her most famous pupil was Maria Ca ...

(1911),

Ebe Stignani Ebe Stignani (10 July 1903 – 5 October 1974) was an Italian opera singer, who was pre-eminent in the dramatic mezzo-soprano roles of the Italian repertoire during a stage career of more than thirty years. Career Born in Naples in 1903 (some so ...

(1912/1928),

Hipólito Lázaro Hipòlit Lázaro (September 13, 1887 – May 14, 1974), better known as Hipólito Lázaro, was a Catalan people, Catalan-Spanish opera singer. He was active as an operatic tenor for four decades from 1910 through 1950. Biography Lázaro was born i ...

(1914/1945),

Giovanni Zenatello Giovanni Zenatello (22 February 1876 – 11 February 1949) was an Italian opera singer. Born in Verona, he enjoyed an international career as a dramatic tenor of the first rank. Otello became his most famous operatic role but he sang a wide r ...

, Giacomo Lauri-Volpi (1922/1945 and 1972)

Miguel Fleta Miguel Burro Fleta (28 December 1897, in Albalate de Cinca, Province of Huesca, Aragon – 29 May 1938, in A Coruña) was a Spanish operatic tenor. Despite his short stage career, lasting from 1919 to 1935, Fleta has been described as one of the ...

(1925/1933), Toti Dal Monte (1925/1934), Feodor Chaliapin (1927/1934), Lauritz Melchior (1927/1930), Tina Poli Randaccio, Lily Hafgren, Carlo Galeffi,

Gilda Dalla Rizza Gilda Dalla Rizza (12 October 18925 July 1975) was an important Italian soprano. Born in Verona, she made her operatic debut in Bologna (the Teatro Verdi) in 1912, as Charlotte in ''Werther''. Especially acclaimed in the verismo repertory, she w ...

Georges Thill Georges Thill (14 December 1897 – 17 October 1984) was a French opera singer, often considered to be his country's greatest lyric-dramatic tenor. Born in Paris, his career lasted from 1924 to 1953, peaking during the 1930s. Career A pupil of ...

, Giannina Arangi Lombardi and

Gina Cigna Gina Cigna (6 March 1900 – 26 June 2001) was a French-Italian dramatic soprano. Biography Gina Cigna was born in Angers, department of Maine-et-Loire, to parents of Italian origin. She trained as a pianist at the Paris Conservatory studying w ...

. *1940s: Giulietta Simionato (1945/1951),

Victoria de los Ángeles Victoria de los Ángeles López García (1 November 192315 January 2005) was a Catalan Spanish operatic lyric soprano and recitalist whose career began after the Second World War and reached its height in the years from the mid-1950s to the mid- ...

(1945/1968 and 1994),

Giuseppe Di Stefano Giuseppe Di Stefano (24 July 19213 March 2008) was an Italian operatic tenor who sang professionally from the mid-1940s until the early 1990s. Called Pippo by both fans and friends, he was known as the "Golden voice" or "The most beautiful voic ...

(1946/1970 and 1986),

Maria Caniglia Maria Caniglia (5 May 1905 – 16 April 1979) was one of the leading Italian spinto sopranos of the 1930s and 1940s. Life and career Caniglia was born in Naples and studied at the Music Conservatories of Naples with Agostino Roche. She made ...

(1947/1954),

Gianni Poggi Gianni Poggi (October 4, 1921 – December 16, 1989) was an Italian tenor, particularly associated with the Italian repertory. Biography Born in Piacenza, Poggi studied first in Bologna with soprano Valeria Manna, and later in Milan with baritone ...

(1947/1963), Kirsten Flagstad (1949/1952), Hans Hotter (1948/1987), Max Lorenz (1950/1954) *1950s:

Boris Christoff Boris Christoff ( bg, Борис Кирилов Христов, Boris Kirilov Hristov, ; 18 May 1914 – 28 June 1993) was a Bulgarian opera singer, widely considered one of the greatest basses of the 20th century. Early life He was born i ...

(1951/1952),

Renata Tebaldi Renata Tebaldi ( , ; 1 February 1922 – 19 December 2004) was an Italian lirico-spinto soprano popular in the post-war period, and especially prominent as one of the stars of La Scala, San Carlo and, especially, the Metropolitan Opera. O ...

(1953/1959),

Giuseppe Taddei Giuseppe Taddei (26 June 1916 – 2 June 2010) was an Italian baritone, who, during his career, performed multiple operas composed by numerous composers. Taddei was born in Genoa, Italy, and studied in Rome, where he made his professional debu ...

(1953/1986),

Wolfgang Windgassen Wolfgang Windgassen (26 June 1914 – 8 September 1974) was a heldentenor internationally known for his performances in Wagner operas. Life and career Born in Annemasse, France, he was the son (and pupil) of a well known German Heldentenor, Fritz ...

(1954/1959), Walter Berry (1954/1985),

Anton Dermota Kammersänger Anton Dermota (June 4, 1910 – June 22, 1989) was a Slovene lyric tenor. Early life He was born in a poor family in the Upper Carniolan village of Kropa in what was then the Austro-Hungarian Empire (and is now in Slove ...

(1955/1966),

Gianna D'Angelo Gianna D'Angelo (18 November 1929 - 27 December 2013) was an American coloratura soprano, primarily active in the 1950s and 1960s. Born Jane Angelovich in Hartford, Connecticut, she studied first at The Juilliard School in New York City with Giu ...

(1957/1965), (1957/1992),

Fedora Barbieri Fedora Barbieri (4 June 1920 – 4 March 2003) was an Italian mezzo-soprano and actor. Barbieri was born in Trieste. She performed regularly in Florence for fifty years, and performed internationally through the years. She died, aged 82, in Flor ...

Margherita Carosio Margherita Carosio (7 June 1908 – 10 January 2005) was an Italian operatic soprano. Her voice is preserved in many Parlophone and Ultraphon recordings made before World War II, as well as a memorable series made for HMV in London, beginning in ...

, Astrid Varnay (1955/1957),

Gertrude Grob-Prandl Gertrude Grob-Prandl (11 November 191716 May 1995) was an Austrian Wagnerian soprano. Grob-Prandl was born in Vienna and studied at the Vienna Academy of Music with Singer-Burian. She originally intended to become a piano teacher but the professo ...

Birgit Nilsson Märta Birgit Nilsson (17 May 1918 – 25 December 2005) was a celebrated Swedish dramatic soprano. Although she sang a wide répertoire of operatic and vocal works, Nilsson was best known for her performances in the operas of Richard Wagner a ...

(1957/1958),

Régine Crespin Régine Crespin (23 February 1927 – 5 July 2007) was a French singer who had a major international career in opera and on the concert stage between 1950 and 1989. She started her career singing roles in the dramatic soprano and spinto soprano ...

(1958/1966),

Carlo Bergonzi Carlo Bergonzi may refer to: * Carlo Bergonzi (luthier) (1683–1747), Italian luthier * Carlo Bergonzi (tenor) Carlo Bergonzi (13 July 1924 – 25 July 2014) was an Italian operatic tenor. Although he performed and recorded some bel canto and ...

(1958/1982), Alfredo Kraus (1958/1994). *1960s:

Joan Sutherland Dame Joan Alston Sutherland, (7 November 1926 – 10 October 2010) was an Australian dramatic coloratura soprano known for her contribution to the renaissance of the bel canto repertoire from the late 1950s through to the 1980s. She possessed ...

(1960/1989), Piero Cappuccilli (1961/1994),

Fiorenza Cossotto Fiorenza Cossotto (born 22 April 1935) is an Italian operatic mezzo-soprano. Life and career Born on 22 April 1935, in Crescentino, Province of Vercelli, Italy, Cossotto attended the Turin Academy of Music and studied with Mercedes Llopart. She ...

(1961/1994), Montserrat Caballé (1962/2007),

Virginia Zeani Virginia Zeani (born Virginia Zehan; 21 October 1925), Commendatore OMRI is a Romanian-born opera singer who sang leading soprano roles in the opera houses of Europe and North America. As a singer, she was known for her dramatic intensity and ...

(1963/1977), (1964/1989), Plácido Domingo (1966/2015),

Jaume Aragall Jaume Aragall i Garriga (; born 6 June 1939), better known as Giacomo Aragall, is a Spanish operatic tenor. He became known for his role singing Rodolfo in Puccini's ''La bohème'' in the late 1960s, and it would become one of the most frequently ...

(1964–1997),

Vicente Sardinero Vicente (Vicenç) Sardinero (12 January 1937 – 9 February 2002), ''né'' Sardinero-Puerto, was a Spanish operatic lyric baritone. Born in Barcelona, he made his debut at the Gran Teatre del Liceu in his native city in the 1964–65 season, as Es ...

(1964/1997), Richard Tucker (1965/1975), Grace Bumbry (1966/1988), Anja Silja (1966/2000). *1970s: Mirella Freni (1970/1994),

José Carreras Josep Maria Carreras Coll (; born 5 December 1946), better known as José Carreras (, ), is a Spanish operatic tenor who is particularly known for his performances in the operas of Donizetti, Verdi and Puccini. Born in Barcelona, he made his de ...

(1958, as child, and 1970/2008),

Joan Pons Joan Pons Álvarez ( Ciutadella, Spain, 8 August 1946) is a Spanish operatic baritone, known internationally as Juan Pons. Career Pons made his international début in 1980 at the Teatro alla Scala of Milan with ''Falstaff'', staged by Giorgio St ...

(1970/2006),

Elena Obraztsova Elena Vasiliyevna Obraztsova ( rus, Еле́на Васи́льевна Образцо́ва, , ɪ̯ɪˈlʲenə vɐˈsʲilʲɪ̯ɪvnə ɐbrɐˈstsovə; 7 July 1939 – 12 January 2015) was a Soviet and Russian mezzo-soprano. She was awarded the ...

(1970/1984),

Agnes Baltsa Agni Baltsa ( el, Aγνή Mπάλτσα; also known as Agnes Baltsa; born 19 November 1944) is a leading Greek mezzo-soprano singer. Baltsa was born in Lefkada. She began playing piano at the age of six, before moving to Athens in 1958 to concen ...

(1971/1992), Edita Gruberová (1977/2008) *1980s:

Simon Estes Simon Estes (born March 2, 1938) is an operatic bass-baritone of African-American descent who had a major international opera career beginning in the 1960s. He has sung at most of the world's major opera houses as well as in front of presiden ...

(1981/1997),

Matti Salminen Matti Kalervo Salminen (born 7 July 1945) is a Finnish operatic bass, now retired, who has sung at the most important opera houses of the world, including the Metropolitan and Bayreuth Festival. He is distinguished by an imposing figure and ...

(1981/2004),

Ewa Podleś Ewa Podleś (; born April 26, 1952) is a Polish coloratura contralto singer who has had an active international career both on the opera stage and in recital. She is known for the agility of her voice and a vocal range which spans more than three ...

(1981/2007),

Martti Talvela Martti Olavi Talvela (4 February 1935 – 22 July 1989) was a Finnish operatic bass. Born in Hiitola, Finland (now in the Republic of Karelia), the eighth of ten children

(1982/1989), Franco Bonisolli

Éva Marton Éva Marton (born 18 June 1943) is a Hungarian dramatic soprano, particularly known for her operatic portrayals of Puccini's ''Turandot'' and ''Tosca'', and Wagnerian roles. Vocal training and early years Marton was born in Budapest, where sh ...

(1982/2006), Gwyneth Jones (1985/1997), Nicolai Ghiaurov (1985/1992), Rockwell Blake (1986/1996),

Dolora Zajick Dolora Zajick (born 24 March 1952) is an American mezzo-soprano opera singer who specializes in the Verdian repertoire. Zajick has been described as having "one of the greatest voices in the history of opera". Early life Born in Salem, Oregon, ...

(1988/2008). *1990s & 2000s: (1992/2007),

Deborah Polaski Deborah Polaski (born May 26, 1949, in Richland Center, Wisconsin) is an American opera and concert singer (soprano). She has specialized in dramatic soprano roles and also sings mezzo-soprano roles occasionally. Biography After being educated ...

(2000),

Angela Denoke Angela Denoke (born 27 November 1961) is a German opera singer (soprano). Born in Stade, she studied at the University of Music and Drama of Hamburg. Her first contract was at the Theater Ulm (1992–1996), where she sang Fiordiligi ('' Cos� ...

(2002), Natalie Dessay, Juan Diego Flórez (2002/2008), Rolando Villazón (2005/2008),

Peter Seiffert Peter Seiffert (born 4 January 1954) is a German tenor. Biography Born in Düsseldorf, Seiffert studied at the Musikhochschule in Düsseldorf and made his debut in 1978 at the Deutschen Oper am Rhein, Düsseldorf/Duisburg. In 1979, he was ...

Fiorenza Cedolins Fiorenza Cedolins (born 18 March 1966) is an Italian soprano. Biography Cedolins made her operatic debut in 1992 at the Teatro Carlo Felice in Genoa in Mascagni's ''Cavalleria rusticana''. She then became an artist-in-residence at the Split Su ...

(2005/2007), Nina Stemme (2004–2005/2008–2009).

Conservatori de Música del Liceu

Linked to the theatre is the Conservatori Superior de Música del Liceu, a music college founded in 1837 which is part of the same corporation.

Círculo del Liceo

The ''Círculo del Liceo'' is an exclusive private club located in the Liceu building. The ''Círculo'' opened in November 1847, a few months after the Liceu opera house, with 125 founding members, according to its earliest records. The club's facilities include numerous elegant lounges, conference rooms, a restaurant, a library and other services. For the society's first 150 years, only men were permitted to become members; women were allowed access solely as guests of male society members. In 2001, following public controversy over the club's exclusively male membership, the club's constitution was amended and ten women (including renowned soprano Montserrat Caballé and several family members of existing members) were permitted to apply for membership for the first time. All ten women were initially turned down, then later admitted after a subsequent vote by members, with a final vote of 373 votes in favor and 279 against their admission. At present, the society has around one thousand members. The ''Círculo del Liceo'' is the oldest club in Spain which retains its original location. The club's long history has enabled it to accumulate a unique heritage of artistic works. Many of its rooms are decorated in an

Art Nouveau Art Nouveau (; ) is an international style of art, architecture, and applied art, especially the decorative arts. The style is known by different names in different languages: in German, in Italian, in Catalan, and also known as the Modern ...

style. Four large windows in the low foyer serve as a testimony to the influence of Wagnerism in Catalan culture at the beginning of the 20th century. In addition to the furniture and decor, the club retains a collection of sculptures, marquetry, enamels, engravings, etchings and paintings by Catalan artists:

Alexandre de Riquer Alexandre de Riquer i Ynglada, 7th Count of Casa Dávalos () (Born 3 May 1856 - 13 November 1920), was a versatile artist intellectual and Catalan designer, illustrator, painter, engraver, writer and poet. He was one of the leading figures of Mode ...

Santiago Rusiñol Santiago Rusiñol i Prats (, ; Barcelona 25 February 1861 – Aranjuez 13 June 1931) was a Spanish painter, poet, journalist, collector and playwright. He was one of the leaders of the Catalan ''modernisme'' movement. He created more than a ...

Modest Urgell Inglada Modest may refer to: * A number of saints, see under Saint Modest (disambiguation) * Michael Modest (born 1971), semi-retired American professional wrestler * Modest (email client), a free, open source, e-mail client People with the given name Mo ...

and

Francesc Miralles Francesc Miralles Contijoch (born 27 August 1968) is a Catalan writer, essayist, translator, and musician.. Personal life Miralles, son of a dressmaker and an erudite office clerk, was born on 27 August 1968 in Barcelona, Spain. Having studied f ...

, among others. The most notable work belonging to the club is a set of twelve oils on fabric, commissioned to

Ramon Casas Ramon Casas i Carbó (; 4 January 1866 – 29 February 1932) was a Catalan artist. Living through a turbulent time in the history of his native Barcelona, he was known as a portraitist, sketching and painting the intellectual, economic, and ...

and installed in the rotunda of the club. Each of the twelve paintings, Casas' most ambitious work, is inspired by a musical topic.

The Liceu in fiction, cinema, etc.

Fiction: novels, plays, etc.

* 's satirical comedy ''"Liceístas" i "cruzados"'' (1865), about the quarrels among the fans of the Liceu and fans of the Teatre Principal, the two main opera houses as there was a great rivalry among them in Barcelona during the 19th century. * Narcís Oller's novel ''La febre d'or'' (1892). *

Artur Masriera Artur is a cognate to the common male given name Arthur, meaning "bear-like," which is believed to possibly be descended from the Roman surname Artorius or the Celtic bear-goddess Artio or more probably from the Celtic word ''artos'' ("bear"). Ot ...

's sketch book ''Los buenos barceloneses: hombres, costumbres y anécdotas de la Barcelona ochocentista (1850–1870)'' (1925). * 's novels: ''Mariona Rebull'' (1944) and ''El viudo Rius'' (1945), where the 1893 bomb at Liceu is narrated. * Eduardo Mendoza's novel ''La ciudad de los prodigios'' (1986). However the film based on it was filmed at Teatre Fortuny at Reus, not at Liceu. * 's short stories book ''El dia que es va cremar el Liceu'' (''The day the Liceu was burnt'') (1995).

Films

* '' Mariona Rebull'' (1947), directed by José Luis Sáenz de Heredia * ''Gayarre'' (1958), by Domingo Viladomat, a biopic about

, performed by Alfredo Kraus. * '' Circus World'' (1964), directed by Henry Hathaway, with

John Wayne Marion Robert Morrison (May 26, 1907 – June 11, 1979), known professionally as John Wayne and nicknamed The Duke or Duke Wayne, was an American actor who became a popular icon through his starring roles in films made during Hollywood's Gol ...

and Claudia Cardinale; some circus scenes are filmed inside the Liceu theatre. * ''Romanza final'' (1986), directed by José María Forqué, a film about

's life with

Josep Carreras Josep is a Catalan masculine given name equivalent to Joseph (Spanish ''José''). People named Josep include: * Josep Bargalló (born 1958), Catalan philologist and former politician * Josep Bartolí (1910-1995), Catalan painter, cartoonist and w ...

. * ''Un submarí a les estovalles'' (1990), directed by Ignasi Pere Ferré. * ''La febre d'or'' (1993), directed by Gonzalo Herralde, with Fernando Guillén, Rosa M. Sardà and Àlex Casanovas, with fragments of a performance of Gounod's '' Faust''. * ''The Life of David Gale'' (2003), directed by Alan Parker, with Kevin Spacey and

Kate Winslet Kate Elizabeth Winslet (; born 5 October 1975) is an English actress. Known for her work in independent films, particularly period dramas, and for her portrayals of headstrong and complicated women, she has received numerous accolades, incl ...

References

Notes Sources *Alier, Roger, ''El gran llibre del Liceu''. Barcelona: Carroggio, DL 1999. *Alier, Roger, ''El Gran Teatro del Liceo: historia artística''. Barcelona: Francesc X. Mata, 1991. *Alier, Roger, ''Historia del Gran Teatro del Liceo''. Barcelona: La Vanguardia, 1983. *''Anuari 1947–1997 del Gran Teatre del Liceu''. Recerca i recopilació: Pau Nadal. Barcelona: Amics del Liceu: Àmbit, DL 1997. *Artís, Josep, ''El Gran Teatro del Liceo''. Col·lecció Barcelona histórica y monumental. Barcelona: Aymá, 1946. *''Crònica il·lustrada del Gran Teatre del Liceu: 1947–1997''. Barcelona: Amics del Liceu : Àmbit, DL 1997. *Lloret, Teresa, ''Gran Teatre del Liceu, Barcelona''. arcelona: Fundació Gran Teatre del Liceu cop. 2002. *''Òpera Liceu: una exposició en cinc actes: Museu d'Història de Catalunya, 19 setembre de 1997-11 de gener de 1998, Barcelona''. arcelona Generalitat de Catalunya, Departament de Cultura : Proa : Fundació Gran Teatre del Liceu, DL 1997. *Radigales, Jaume, ''Els orígens del Gran Teatre del Liceu: 1837–1847: de la plaça de Santa Anna a la Rambla: història del Liceu Filharmònic d'Isabel II o Liceu Filodramàtic de Barcelona''. Barcelona: Publicacions de l'Abadia de Montserrat, 1998. *Subirá, José, ''La ópera en los teatros de Barcelona: estudio histórico cronológico desde el siglo XVIII al XX ''. Monografías históricas de Barcelona, 9. Millà. 1946. *Tribó, Jaume, ''Annals 1847–1897 del Gran Teatre del Liceu''. Barcelona: Amics del Liceu: Gran Teatre del Liceu, 2004.

External links

* {{authority control Opera houses in Spain Theatres and concert halls in Barcelona Ciutat Vella La Rambla, Barcelona Catalan music Theatres completed in 1847 Music venues completed in 1847 Theatres completed in 1862 Music venues completed in 1862 Theatres completed in 1999 Music venues completed in 1999 1837 establishments in Spain 1847 establishments in Spain Tourist attractions in Barcelona Liceu