Teatre Auditori Felip Pedrell

Teatre Auditori Felip Pedrell is the main theatre and concert venue in Tortosa, a town in the Terres de l'Ebre area of southern Catalonia. The building sits at Passeig de Ribera 11, in the Temple neighbourhood, and has served as the region's leading performing-arts institution for three decades.

Why is the theatre named after Felip Pedrell?

The venue takes its name from Felip Pedrell (Tortosa, 1841 – Barcelona, 1922), a composer, musicologist, teacher and critic regarded as one of the founding figures of musical nationalism in Catalonia and Spain during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Naming the town's theatre-auditorium after him was a way of honouring the most prominent musical figure connected to Tortosa's history.

What was his connection to the city?

Pedrell built most of his career in Barcelona, but Tortosa was his birthplace, and attaching his name to the local auditorium is the city's clearest tribute to that link.

How did the building come about?

The idea of a theatre-auditorium for Tortosa dates back to 1987, when mayor Vicent Beguer put forward plans for a new cultural facility in Vora Parc, then a developing area of the Temple district. The project was designed by architect Jordi Bonet, known for his work on the Sagrada Família and on other auditoriums built in Catalonia around the same period. Bonet's design was, for its time, an ambitious multipurpose complex fitted with up-to-date technical equipment, combining two performance halls - a larger one seating around 750 people and a smaller, more intimate space for about 150 - along with the supporting rooms needed to run both.

When did it open?

The formal opening took place on 16 May 1995. Catalan culture minister Joan Guitart and mayor Vicent Beguer both attended; for Beguer, the event also closed out sixteen years in office. The opening night featured a theatrical production staged under the direction of Ricard Salvat, a director and theatre scholar born in Tortosa.

What does the theatre offer today?

The Teatre Auditori Felip Pedrell is now the reference stage for performing arts and music across Terres de l'Ebre and southern Catalonia. It belongs to SPEEM, Catalonia's public network of scenic and musical venues, which brings touring productions from across the region into its programme alongside locally produced work. Its regular offering spans drama, concerts, family shows, dance and circus performances.

Who is it for?

It suits visitors to Tortosa and the nearby Ebro Delta who want an evening of culture beyond sightseeing in the old town. Spoken drama is mostly staged in Spanish or Catalan, so it works best for visitors who understand one of those languages, while concerts, dance and circus shows read well regardless of language.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is the theatre located? At Passeig de Ribera 11 in Tortosa, in the Temple district, in the area known as Vora Parc.

Who was the theatre named after? Felip Pedrell (1841-1922), a composer, musicologist and teacher born in Tortosa, one of the leading figures of Catalan musical nationalism.

When did it open, and who attended the inauguration? On 16 May 1995, with Catalan culture minister Joan Guitart and mayor Vicent Beguer present; the opening production was directed by Ricard Salvat.

How many halls does the building have, and how many seats? Two - a larger hall for around 750 people and a smaller, more intimate one for about 150.

Who designed the building? Architect Jordi Bonet, known among other things for his work on the Sagrada Família.

What kind of programme does it run? A mixed one - theatre, concerts, dance, family shows and circus performances, as part of Catalonia's SPEEM public venue network.