Teatro Real (The Teatro Real)

The Teatro Real in the cultural landscape of Madrid.

Built at the Queen Isabel II's request, the Teatro Real is an iconic building in the cultural landscape of Madrid, located just in front of the Palacio Real. Ever since its inauguration on the 19th of November 1850 with the performance of Donizetti's La Favorite, this prestigious opera house has welcomed the greatest artists, including Verdi who premiered there his opera La Forza del destino in 1863.

Yet, the urban development of the capital city of Spain, and especially the construction of the underground beneath the Teatro Real in 1925, led to the closure of the building. It is only in 1966 that the public of Madrid could enjoy once again performances at the Teatro Real, though initially only instrumental music could be performed.

The full renaissance of the Teatro Real happened in the 1990's after the refurbishment of the opera house which allowed once again the production of operatic works.

The Teatro Real's programming: off the beaten track!

Next to the greatest works of the operatic repertoire, many long-awaited premieres of contemporary works are scheduled at the Teatro Real. In February 2013, Philipp Glass presented his last opera, The Perfect American, a fictionalized biography of Walt Disney's final months, directed by Phelim Mc Dermott and conducted by Dennis Russell Davies.

A year later, on the 7th of February 2014, the American composer Charles Wuorinen presented Brokeback Mountain. This opera written after Annie Proulx's short story – of which Ang Lee directed a multi-Oscar-winning cinematographic adaptation in 2005 – was directed by Ivo van Hove, and the Coro y Orquesta titular del Teatro Real was conducted by Titus Engel.

These two world premieres of operas composed by two of the greatest contemporary composers were hailed by the international press.

medici.tv and the Teatro Real : a partnership at the heart of the contemporary musical life.

medici.tv broadcast live from the Teatro Real these two world premieres of Philipp Glass' The Perfect American and Charles Wuorinen's Brokeback Mountain. Many other performances recorded at the Teatro Real, including Haendel's Tamerlano with Plácido Domingo and Mascagni's Cavalleria Rusticana directed by Giancarlo del Monaco, are available on subscription on medici.tv's catalogue!