Exercise 2

The Great Theatre of the Liceu

Surviving fires, bombings and political controversies, today still stands in the middle of
Barcelona one of the greatest opera houses Europe has ever seen. Home to great singers,
directors and productions, its long and rich history has established this theatre as unique, and
although its glorious moments may have ended, still today beautiful art is made within its
walls. It is nonetheless than The Great Theatre of the Liceu.

Placed in Les Rambles, this building shaped the political and cultural scene of Barcelona
throughout the nineteenth and part of twentieth century. Inaugurated in 1847, this was the
biggest opera hall in Europe for almost a century. Build in a neoclassical style, its interior is a
precious piece of art, with a beautiful foyer known as the Mirrors Hall. Fortunately for us, this
room is still the original, having survived both fires (one in 1861 and the other in 1994) and the
bombing that the theatre suffered. The room is filled with quotes from historical figures such
as Gluck or Haydn, all decorated in a romantic style which imitates those palaces from the
eighteenth century like Versailles.

Following the stairs, we enter the Concert Hall. With five floors, it is shaped in a U form,
perfect for acoustics, but not so great for visibility… Some seats have had small screens
installed in front of them in order to facilitate seeing the show. Today’s stage is a magnificent
piece of engineering. Counting the underground floors, the building is over 30 meters in
height, and because of its proximity to the sea, it has to resist a great deal of water pressure,
which is drained at a rate of 5 litres per second and it is pumped to the Fountains of Montjuïc.
Isn’t it that awesome!

Without a doubt, this building is intertwined with Barcelona’s culture. Although one cannot
deny it’s selective past, the theatre is taking steps in order to democratize art. New and
exciting proposals are being made to bring opera and ballet to the general public and
especially to young people. Being able to experience this art in this historical building is a
wonderful experience, one that we should fight for and try to preserve.