The celebration of the 225th anniversary of the Teatro Principal will respond with a exceptional artistic quality to the splendor that it has distilled since its inauguration in 1799, specifically a August 25th. As the mayor of Zaragoza explained this morning, Natalia Chuecaduring 16 months This room will intensify its nights to remember with a very extensive program of plays, music, and various shows that continue to extol the historical relevance that the Principal has had in Aragon and Spain, a sustained prestige that will be summarized in everything that It will happen until December 31, 2025.
Zaragoza City Council approaches the commemoration considering it as one of the great axes on which the Spanish performing arts have pivoted, a cultural reference in Aragon and witness to the city’s own history. This reference venue has gone through processes of change in its more than 200 years, but it has always remained active and offering high-level performing arts to citizens.
At the moment, there are already confirmed more than 50 eventsworks, days, for the last quarter of the year, since “Forever Van Gogh” opens the curtain as the first premiere of the anniversary, although the council has been working for months on the complete program that will also run throughout next year.
The Teatro Principal continues to commit, as an extension of the cultural policy of the Zaragoza City Council, to offering a tour of the best actors and actressesthe scripts of the most famous writers and playwrights and the most famous stagings popular, contemporary and disruptive. Even in the architectural field, it enjoys a singular significance as an enclave in the historic center of Zaragoza. For this reason, the Zaragoza City Council is going to begin the procedures to declare it an Asset of Cultural Interest (BIC) of Spanish Historical Heritage.
QUARTERLY PROGRAMMING
In the list of cultural events, the versatility of this Zaragoza Main Theater is evident, where immersive experiences, world music, iconic actors and classic and contemporary works fit. The first date already contains a great surprise, because “Forever Van Gogh”, from September 5, brings an immersive theatrical show about the life of the renowned painter Vincent van Gogh that uses Artificial Intelligence. will take the baton “This is Michael”with Lenny Jay, in the role of Michael Jackson, and Jennifer Batten, star guitarist who accompanied Michael Jackson on several world tours.
Witness for the prosecution, with Fernando Guillén CuervoAgatha Christie’s classic, or the Opera “Tosca” by Puccini, complete a powerful start to the anniversary. Closer references also appear in the programming, such as “The Art of the Jota”. An artistic journey through Aragonese folklore, zarzuela, poetry and popular classical music under the common thread of the universal jota or “Giants and Big Heads, Aragonese Suite”.
Chano Dominguez and Martirio as a nod from the Jazz al Margen festival and “The Firebird” by Stravinsky make up a more than interesting musical offering to start November. The Lyric Gala offered by the Government of Aragon, “Lucía di Lammermoor” will continue the musical offering, in which “Wadaiko Masters” (Japanese drums), a world famous show.
Among the classics of the 20th century, the “Six characters in search of author” by Pirandello, which contrast with a parody of Friends or “The Collection” directed by Juan Mayorga and starring José Sacristán. Also as a reinterpretation brought to dance it will come “Alice” based on Alice in Wonderland. One of the great world dance companies, the Classical Ballet of Cuba with Lucía Alonsowill be in charge of deploying “The Nutcracker”, “Swan Lake” and “Sleeping Beauty” as the closing of the year 2024 and the beginning of 2025.
PARALLEL ACTIVITIES
Beyond everything that happens on the theater stage, the Zaragoza City Council has prepared a series of cultural initiatives to complete the four months of celebration. Between them:
Publications for an anniversary: These are two editorial projects that will highlight the importance of the anniversary from two different perspectives. Firstly, a co-production with Heraldo de Aragón to publish a This Anniversary Book as a journey through the cultural trajectory of the coliseum. Another project of great interest is the reissue and update of the book “Teatro Principal de Zaragoza” by Professor Amparo Martínez Herranz.
Conversations in the Main: A monthly cycle of debates is proposed in the Hall of the Principal Theater, with free access to the public, with renowned authors, actresses, directors, producers, led by the journalist and writer Antón Castro.
- September 2024 | Dario Regattieri · Theatrical producer
- October 2024 | Fernando Guillén · Actor
- November 2024 | Pepa Gamboa · Director
- December 2024 | José Sacristán · Actor
- January 2025 | Victoria Abril · Actress
Teatro Principal, first cinema in Aragon:
This coliseum was the scene of the first film screening in Zaragoza, and one of the first in the country, with an initial presentation on June 28, 1896 And, the fact that the first sessions were in that month, places us, in terms of shows, at the same level as other capitals such as Madrid and Barcelona. This situation justifies the presentation of a show cinematographic with a staging from the Shadow Theather that reviews the history of the Principal and the activities that took place there until the end of the 19th century. In addition, a cinematographic session will be recreated in the first years of the history of cinema with the viewing of the first films exhibited and made in Spain until 1914.
Extensive cycle of conferences. Some examples of this are:
-The plastic arts at the Teatro Principal of Zaragoza.
-The four allegories of the sculptor Félix Burriel -225 years of architectural and artistic pulse
-147 years of the Unceta curtain -The Sculptures of Francisco Rallo
-The Mural of Jorge Gay
225th Anniversary Gala: This event scheduled for April is conceived as an act of citizen reaffirmation to confirm that Zaragoza and its municipal coliseum knew how to connect with artistic modernity at a very early time, before the Barcelona Lyceum or the Teatro Real itself. The Zaragoza City Council has become, in its own right, an essential mentor to preserve the vigor and prominence of this room.
Congress of Historical Theaters: The Zaragoza town council has requested his incorporation as a full member of the Iberian Route of Historical Theaters. The Spanish Network of Theaters that sponsors it has been asked to organize a Congress of Historical Theaters to take place in Zaragoza next spring.
The Main Theater up to the minute: This cultural facility of the city will begin in September a bell which aims to show the bicentennial venue, its history, its present and, above all, its daily life. Small videos will be released through the social networks most recognized about current artistic events, memories, historical dates for the House and will always tell in a pedagogical, very informative key, the last hour, the last minute of what is happening in the building.
HISTORICAL RECORD 2023 OF THE MAIN THEATER
The Teatro Principal has presented its best results in the year prior to this anniversary. In fiscal year 2023, the Board of Performing Arts and the Image offered 51 proposals, between dramaturgy, concerts and social events, with 262 total sessions. This, translated into income, represents a 24.6% more than 2022, since it goes from 3,000,000 euros to 3,739,073 euros.
Refering to attendance to the shows, the audience increased by 13% when reaching the 152,580 usersabove the 134,942 in 2022. In fact, in 112 occasions, Principal’s attendance exceeded 80% of the capacitythat is, the 42% of the total sessions. Among the milestones of last year, the seven events that raised more than 100,000 euros. Above all, in September, The endless story which, with more than 50 performances, obtained 1,178,000 box office euros. In addition, the musical El Médico, which was held 26 times during the month of February, surpassed the Half a million euros of income. This outstanding group also includes the Chinese circus Shanghai Circus World, Cuento de Navidad, Burundanga, El Rey Que Fue and Mayumaná.
