The Luis A. Ferré Performing Arts Center (Centro de Bellas Artes Luis A. Ferré in Spanish) is a multi-use performance centre located in the barrio of Santurce in San Juan,

Puerto Rico Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and unincorporated ...

. It features three main concert and theater halls for plays,

ballet Ballet () is a type of performance dance that originated during the Italian Renaissance in the fifteenth century and later developed into a concert dance form in France and Russia. It has since become a widespread and highly technical form of ...

opera Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a libr ...

s and concerts. It was renamed in 1994 after the late Puerto Rican philanthropist, politician and Governor of Puerto Rico, Luis A. Ferré. The Center opened on April 9, 1981 under the administration of Governor

Carlos Romero Barceló Carlos Antonio Romero Barceló (September 4, 1932 – May 2, 2021) was a Puerto Rican politician who served as the governor of Puerto Rico from 1977 to 1985. He was the second governor to be elected from the New Progressive Party (PNP). He als ...

after ten years of planning, project financing, and construction. Since then, it has become the most important performing arts venue in the Puerto Rican capital, presenting the highest level of commercial theater in Puerto Rico along with ballets and operas, and also hosting artists such as

Plácido Domingo José Plácido Domingo Embil (born 21 January 1941) is a Spanish opera singer, conductor, and arts administrator. He has recorded over a hundred complete operas and is well known for his versatility, regularly performing in Italian, French ...

and Menudo. The center is home to the Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra and the annual

Casals Festival The Casals Festival is a classical music event celebrated every year in San Juan, Puerto Rico, in honor of classical musician Pablo Casals. Background The festival was founded in 1956 by Pablo Casals. It was promoted by Teodoro Moscoso and Davi ...

. In January 2019,

Lin-Manuel Miranda Lin-Manuel Miranda (; born January 16, 1980) is an American songwriter, actor, playwright and filmmaker. He is known for creating the Broadway musicals ''Hamilton'' (2015) and '' In the Heights'' (2005), and the soundtracks for the Disney animat ...

’s musical ''

Hamilton Hamilton may refer to: People * Hamilton (name), a common British surname and occasional given name, usually of Scottish origin, including a list of persons with the surname ** The Duke of Hamilton, the premier peer of Scotland ** Lord Hamilt ...

'' began its third touring production at the venue, with Miranda reprising the titular role of

Founding Father The following list of national founding figures is a record, by country, of people who were credited with establishing a state. National founders are typically those who played an influential role in setting up the systems of governance, (i.e. ...

and

Secretary of Treasury The United States secretary of the treasury is the head of the United States Department of the Treasury, and is the chief financial officer of the federal government of the United States. The secretary of the treasury serves as the principal a ...

, Alexander Hamilton, with higher praise than his original run on Broadway. Miranda returned to the venue after nine years since he reprised the role of Usnavi exclusively in San Juan during the North American touring production of ''

In the Heights ''In the Heights'' is a musical with concept, music, and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda and a book by Quiara Alegría Hudes. The story is set over the course of three days, involving characters in the largely Dominican American neighborhood of ...

'', which he also wrote.

Facilities

The Center features four main

concert A concert is a live music performance in front of an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, choir, or band. Concerts are held in a wide variet ...

and

theater Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors or actresses, to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The perform ...

halls, two eateries and a central outdoor plaza, each with its own unique features: *

Antonio Paoli Antonio Paoli (14 April 1871 – 24 August 1946) was a Puerto Rican tenor. At the height of his fame, he was known as "The King of Tenors and The Tenor of Kings." He is considered to be the first Puerto Rican to reach international fame ...

Festival Hall – Dedicated to a Puerto Rican opera singer, it is the largest hall of the center. Seating is between 1,875 and 1,945, and features two stories with VIP balconies, world-class acoustic system, and a stage perfect for scenic musical performances including, operas, ballet, popular music shows, and symphonic concerts. *

René Marqués René Marqués (October 4, 1919 – March 22, 1979) was a Puerto Rican short story writer and playwright. Early years Marqués was born, raised and educated in the city of Arecibo. He developed an interest in writing at a young age and was ...

Theater Hall – Dedicated to one of Puerto Rico's most famous playwrights and essayists, this hall seats between 748 and 781 guests and with a stage measuring 42 by 40 feet, it is specially designed for plays and musical performances. * Carlos Marichal Performance Hall – dedicated to a respected Puerto Rican set and costume designer, the hall features seating for 210 guests in an intimate arena-styled theater. * Sala Sinfónica Pablo Casals – symphony hall dedicated to the Spanish

Catalan Catalan may refer to: Catalonia From, or related to Catalonia: * Catalan language, a Romance language * Catalans, an ethnic group formed by the people from, or with origins in, Northern or southern Catalonia Places * 13178 Catalan, asteroid #1 ...

cellist and conductor best remembered for the recording the

Bach Johann Sebastian Bach (28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque period. He is known for his orchestral music such as the ''Brandenburg Concertos''; instrumental compositions such as the Cello Suites; keyboard wor ...

Cello Suites he made from 1936 to 1939. The $34 million building, designed by Rodolfo Fernandez and Acentech Incorporated's Studio A, seats 1,300 and serves as the new home of the Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra. *

Juan Morel Campos Juan Morel Campos (16 May 1857 – 12 May 1896), sometimes erroneously spelled ''Juan Morell Campos'', was a Puerto Rican composer, considered by many to be responsible for taking the genre of danza to its highest level. He composed over ...

Plaza, dedicated to the Puerto Rican composer of ''danzas'' is located right in front of the center's main entrance, it is a large open

plaza A town square (or square, plaza, public square, city square, urban square, or ''piazza'') is an open public space, commonly found in the heart of a traditional town but not necessarily a true geometric square, used for community gatherings. ...

featuring a pair of

sculptures Sculpture is the branch of the visual arts that operates in three dimensions. Sculpture is the three-dimensional art work which is physically presented in the dimensions of height, width and depth. It is one of the plastic arts. Durable sc ...

called ''The Muses'' and the Las Tablas Restaurant, and is available for outdoor activities and presentations for 800 guests. *

Sylvia Rexach Sylvia Regina Rexach González (January 22, 1922 – October 20, 1961), was a Puerto Rican comedy scriptwriter, poet, singer and composer of boleros. Early years Rexach was born and raised in Santurce, Puerto Rico. Her parents were Julio E. ...

Theater Café – Designed to be a fourth, but smaller, concert hall, the Café opened in 1988 and offers a relaxed nightclub theme for up to 200 guests with a small stage for intimate performances. A xylographic mural by famed local artist Antonio Martorell decorates its walls and grants homage to Sylvia Rexach, the famous Puerto Rican ''bolero'' singer and composer. * Las Tablas Restaurant (formerly the Arts Pavilion) – is a restaurant within the Juan Morel Campos Plaza and features an award-winning architectural design. The restaurant, whose theme literally embodies the phrase ''The Beauty of the Caribbean'', is owned by international pop star

Luis Fonsi Luis Alfonso Rodríguez López-Cepero (born April 15, 1978), known by his stage name Luis Fonsi (), is a Puerto Rican singer. He is known for multiple songs, one of them being " Despacito" featuring rapper Daddy Yankee. Fonsi received his first ...

and local music and concert producer Tony Mojena. Its menu, developed by Giovanna Huyke, is built around the theme ''the taste of music'', and consists mostly of local traditional foods prepared by its in-house chef Alexis Bartolomei.

Surrounding art

The center is surrounded by various art expositions, including murals, paintings, and sculptures. The two largest halls feature art expositions which distinguishes each one: * In the

Festival Hall's second floor, a

mural A mural is any piece of graphic artwork that is painted or applied directly to a wall, ceiling or other permanent substrate. Mural techniques include fresco, mosaic, graffiti and marouflage. Word mural in art The word ''mural'' is a Spani ...

titled ''La Plena'' by Rafael Tufiño is on display and represents twelve famous Puerto Rican ''

plena Plena is a genre of music and dance native to Puerto Rico. Origins The plena genre originated in Barrio San Antón, Ponce, Puerto Rico, around 1900. It was influenced by the bomba style of music. Originally, sung texts were not associated wit ...

s'' by local songwriter Manuel “Canario” Jiménez: Cortaron an Elena; Temporal; El Perro de San Jerónimo; Josefina; Santa María; Tintorera del Mar; Fuego, Fuego, Fuego; Monchín del Alma; Cuando las Mujeres; Tanta Vanidad; Lola; and El Diablo Colorao. The mural was created 30 years before the opening of the Center between 1952 and 1954. It was moved to its current place in 1987 after a three-year restoration project by Anton Konrad. * In the René Marqués Hall, a stained glass exposition titled ''Form and Tropical Crystals'' by local artist Luis Hernández Cruz illuminates its lobby with 5,700 multi-colored pieces of crystal arranged to showcase themes related to the sea, the forest, the sky and the overall tropical ambiance. Near the entrance of the center, various expositions greet guests and visitors, including a aluminum sculpture by Luis Torruella titled ''Melodic Reflection''. However, the main art theme of the center's entrance are ''

The Muses In ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology, the Muses ( grc, Μοῦσαι, Moûsai, el, Μούσες, Múses) are the Artistic inspiration, inspirational goddesses of literature, science, and the arts. They were considered the sou ...

''. These are two separate works of art, one being an assortment of bronze female sculptures along the

Plaza, by Annex Burgos; and the second being a large mural at the center's

façade A façade () (also written facade) is generally the front part or exterior of a building. It is a loan word from the French (), which means ' frontage' or ' face'. In architecture, the façade of a building is often the most important aspect ...

(pictured above), made from a mixture concrete and crystal stones and designed by Augusto Marín. Each muse represents the different arts and cultures which the Center embraces, including local and classical music, theater, literature, dance, films, architecture, sculptures, and painting.

Location

Located along the Ponce de Leon Avenue in the Santurce section of San Juan, the center is located near various retail shops and residential buildings, which produce a vibrant atmosphere around the center both day and night. It has an underground parking garage offering 483 spaces for guests, although adjacent office buildings provide additional spaces.

References

External links

Official site
{{DEFAULTSORT:Luis A. Ferre Performing Arts Center Government-owned corporations of Puerto Rico Performing arts centers in Puerto Rico Buildings and structures in San Juan, Puerto Rico 1981 establishments in Puerto Rico Tourist attractions in San Juan, Puerto Rico Opera houses in Puerto Rico Concert halls in Puerto Rico