Royal Theatre - Royal Theatre information and pictures



Madrid’s Teatro Real or Royal Theatre is an elegant state of the art opera house located along the Plaza de Oriente by the Royal Palace, which is home to world-class opera, ballet and classical music performances. Over the years, the likes of Giuseppe Verdi, Nijinsky and Stravinsky have graced the stage of the Royal Theatre. Music lovers can attend a performance or tour the theatre museum.

Commissioned by Queen Isabel II - Architect, Cuatodio Moreno, first designed the Royal Theatre in 1818 in a beautiful neo-classical style. Over the next several decades, construction proceeded in fits and starts until 1848, when Queen Isabel II ordered its completion. The Theatre opened to much fanfare, in 1850 on Queen Isabel’s birthday with an inaugural performance of Favorita by Gaetano Donizetti.

Structural Problems - The Royal Theatre suffered structural problems due to the underground construction of the metro in 1925 and was closed for many years, until it reopened in 1966 as a concert hall. The Teatro de la Zarzuela became the home of Madrid’s opera during the Royal Theatre’s closure. However, with the construction of a new concert venue, Auditorio Nacional, in the 1980s, the Royal Theatre closed once again for extensive renovations, to reopen in 1997 as Madrid’s premier opera house.

Modern Opera House - The Royal Theatre now features state of the art acoustics and is recognized as one of the most prestigious European opera houses. The Theatre specializes in Zarzuela, which is loosely based on the Viennese style of operetta focusing on the everyday working class lives of people as the theme for its operas. Patrons of the Royal Theatre frequently visit the adjacent Café de Oriente and its popular outdoor terrace for award winning Castilian and French Basque cuisine, offering stunning views of the Royal Palace.

Where is Teatro Real: Plaza Isabel II

How to get to Teatro Real: By Subway to Opera station; Line 2,5

Official web site of the Teatro Real




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