Theatre spaces in Barcelona, 1800–1850

Abstract

During the first half of the nineteenth century, Barcelona experienced a great demographic boom primarily as a result of economic growth and incipient industrialization. Within the framework of the social, political, and economic evolution of Barcelona’s society, which was the driving force of social and political change (especially in relation to the liberal revolution), this investigation focuses on analysing the appearance of new spaces of sociability relating to the theatre, particularly to the artisan class and the incipient middle class. These were the stages always under the guardianship or opposition of the Santa Creu Theatre (also called the Teatre Principal), which had enjoyed a monopoly on plays in the city since the latter third of the sixteenth century. In the context of political evolution, this chapter considers the appearance of spaces for amateurs and professionals, paying particular attention to professional theatres’ attempts at creation, such as those of the Teatre dels Gegants (1820–1821) and the Teatre Nou (1843–1848). These were two attempts to create professional spaces just for the emerging social sectors, and they clashed with the interests of the spaces of the aristocracy (Teatre Principal), which lost its monopoly at this same period, and with those of the bourgeoisie, which managed to build the Gran Teatre del Liceu, a famous opera house.