Teatre Victòria

Coordinates: 41°22′29″N 2°10′08″E / 41.3747756°N 2.1687885°E / 41.3747756; 2.1687885
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Teatre Victòria
Teatre Victòria in September 2022
Map
Former namesPabello Soriano theatre
Address67 Av. del Paral·lel, Sants-Montjuïc
Barcelona
Spain
Coordinates41°22′29″N 2°10′08″E / 41.3747756°N 2.1687885°E / 41.3747756; 2.1687885
OwnerEl Mago Pop
DesignationTheatre
Construction
Opened22 April 1905 (1905-04-22)
Renovated1992
Expanded1967
Years active22 April 1905 – present
ArchitectAndreu Audet i Puig
Website
teatrevictoria.com

The Teatre Victòria ("Victoria Theatre") is a theatre in Barcelona, Spain.

The theatre was designed by Andreu Audet i Puig [ca] and was inaugurated on 22 April 1905 as the "Pabellòn Sorianno theatre". In 1916, the theatre was sold to John Fradera, who renamed it to "Teatro Victoria". The company changed shareholders until 1954, when the last owners, Bergada, Bosch and Tolosa, sold them all to the Barcelona industrialist, Jaime Balaguer Sarriera [es] whom they met on an advertising campaign.

In 1980, Jaime Balaguer retired and his sons, Jordi and Ricardo Balaguer took over the programming. In 1986, with a 20-year rental agreement, the company Tres per Tres was founded, formed by Tricicle, Dagoll Dagom and Anexa, the company assumed the management and programming of the theatre and remodeled and modernized it in 1992 with the architectural project of Manuel Bosch, Fernando Domínguez and Montserrat Nogués. On 22 January 2002, Tres per Tres purchased the theatre. In June 2019, it was purchased by the illusionist El Mago Pop.

History[edit]

Origins[edit]

The origins of the theatre begin in 1900, when the two brothers Ricardo and Manuel Soriano inaugurated a wooden pavilion (described by Michael Badenas as "almost a hut")[1] with a roof made of cardboard leather hardened with asphalt, where they organized a series of events. They held auctions of textile products and to promote them offered circus and variety performances.

Ricardo Soriano became friends with the leader of the newly established Republican Party, which gave him greater impact. They started presenting circus shows and varieties with Mr. Spasardy and his tigers, Bombay and Nero. They then acquired the anicent Trianon theatre.[2] The pavilion was demolished and rebuilt several times from 1900 to 1905 as part of an improvement process.[3] In 1904, after demolishing it together with the old Soriano Hall, they commissioned the municipal architect Andreu Audet i Puig [ca] to build a new theatre. The new theatre, then named the "Pabellón Soriano theatre" was constructed with a capacity for 2300 spectators and was inaugurated on 22 April 1905.

In 1910, growing tired of hiring shows, the theatre was transformed into a cinema projection room, taking advantage of the rise in cinema. The audience to the place that were accustomed to the casual atmosphere of the artist's direct performances, gradually abandoned their attendance, therefore they had no choice but to return the theatre to its origins in 1914.

1916–1954[edit]

In 1916, the theatre was sold to Joan Fradera, who renamed the theatre to "Teatro Victoria". Fradera founded the company, La Barcelonesa de Mostáculos, S.A. At its inauguration, he presented vaudeville in Catalan El Primer Resbalón, which was directed by the artist Josep Sampere, a specialist in the genre.[2] La canción del olvido by Sarsuela of Master Serrano and L’auca del senyor Esteve were presented at the theatre on 12 May 1917.[4]

At the theatre, important works were released that were performed by famous artists of the time such as Margarita Xirgu, Emilio Vendrell, and Marcos Redondo.[2]

Balaguer era[edit]

The company changed shareholders until 1954, when the last owners, Bergada, Bosch and Tolosa, sold them all to the Barcelona industrialist, Jaime Balaguer Sarriera [es] whom they met on an advertising campaign.

In the first period, the theatre opted for a more popular genre, vaudeville and varieties. The best ones that passed through their stage (vedettes) from those times were La Bella Dorita [es], Gardenia Pulido, and Eugenia Roca. Actors who acted in magazines also created an indefinite genre such as Escamillo, as well as the most current singers of Spanish folklore, such as Lola Flores, Carmen Flores [es], Pepe Blanco, Carmen Morell, Antonio Amaya [es], Estrellita Castro, Rafeal Farina, and comedians like Aly ("the king of the Parallel").

In 1967, the theatre's owner, Jaime Balaguer built two blocks of flats at number 65 and 67 of Avinguda del Paral·lel, inserting in the centre the new facade of the theatre with a modern style.

On 19 September 1967, the inauguration took place, presenting the work There's a Girl in My Soup by Terence Frisby with Conchita Velasco, Guillermo Marin and Rafael Navarro presenting and José Luis Saenz Heredia directing.

In 1980, Jaime Balaguer retired and his sons, Jordi and Ricardo Balaguer took over the programming. Broadway shows were presented: I misbehavin, Mil años de Jazz, Hair, and Cabaret.

On 8 March 1984, 1.000 años de jazz was released. Its premiere was attended by the President of the Generalitat Jordi Pujol and was received positively by critics. However, the show was a disaster and barely made a box office of 180,000 pesetas and had daily expenses of half a million. As a result, the theatre was expected to close and leave the 30 permanent employees unemployed. In two articles from La Vanguardia, published on 14 September 1984 and 12 February 1985, the authors reflected on the lack of aid from the City Council and Generalitat for the theatre. It was struggling to be able to present quality shows.

In 1986, with a 20-year rental agreement, the company Tres per Tres was founded, formed by Tricicle, Dagoll Dagom and Anexa, the company assumed the management and programming of the theatre and remodeled and modernized it in 1992 with the architectural project of Manuel Bosch, Fernando Domínguez and Montserrat Nogués.[4][5] On 22 January 2002, Tres per Tres purchased the theatre and the Balaguer era ended.[2]

21st century[edit]

In 2016, the musical Scaramouche premiered at the theatre.[6] In 2019, the Catalan production of Spring Awakening (El despertar de la primavera) in Catalan was praised by Anna Rosa Cisquella for the financial risk assumed.[7]

In June 2019, the theatre was purchased by Antonio Díaz, an illusionist who goes by the alias "El Mago Pop" from Tres per Tres, who managed the theatre from 1986.[5][8][9][10][11]

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Teatre Victòria lost viewers. However El Mago Pop's show Nada es imposible (English: "Nothing is impossible"), airing in 2020, became the most watched show in the world during the pandemic.[11][12]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Badenas 1993, p. 113
  2. ^ a b c d Jesús Fraiz Ordóñez (14 October 2021). "Los orígenes del Teatre Victòria, cuando las ovejas pastoreaban por el Paralelo". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). Retrieved 2 April 2024.
  3. ^ Badenas 1993, p. 114
  4. ^ a b Antoni Ramon; Graells (eds.). "Teatre Victòria". Enciclopèdia de les Arts Escèniques Catalanes (in Spanish). Retrieved 3 April 2024.
  5. ^ a b Manuel Pérez i Muñoz (28 June 2019). "Tricicle, Dagoll Dagom i ANEXA s'acomiaden del Victòria". Entreacte (in Catalan). Retrieved 3 April 2024.
  6. ^ Victor Giralt Jonama (30 September 2016). "Dagoll Dagom estrena el musical 'Scaramouche' al Teatre Victòria". Betevé (in Catalan). Retrieved 3 April 2024.
  7. ^ Olaf Jubin; Robert Gordon, eds. (2023). "The Oxford Handbook of the Global Stage Musical". Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780190909734. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
  8. ^ "El Mago Pop gestionarà el Teatre Victòria de Barcelona a partir de juny". VilaWeb (in Spanish). 1 March 2019. Retrieved 31 March 2024.
  9. ^ "El Mago Pop compra el teatro Victoria de Barcelona". ABC Cataluña (in Spanish). 1 March 2019. Retrieved 2 April 2024.
  10. ^ Justo Barranco (27 February 2019). "El Mago Pop compra el teatro Victòria de Barcelona". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). Retrieved 2 April 2024.
  11. ^ a b Jacinto Antón (1 March 2019). "El Mago Pop se saca el teatro Victòria de la chistera". El Pais (in Spanish). Retrieved 2 April 2024.
  12. ^ Justo Barranco (6 September 2021). "El Mago Pop logró el récord de público en el mundo durante la pandemia". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). Retrieved 2 April 2024.

External links[edit]

Sources[edit]

  • Badenas, Michael (1993). El Paral·lel nacimiento, esplendor y declive de la popular y bullanguera avenida barcelona (in Spanish). Barcelona: Amarantos. ISBN 8479680326.
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