Teatre Tarragona

Teatre Tarragona is the city's main stage for the performing arts, standing at number 11 of Rambla Nova, the broad avenue that runs down toward the Mediterranean Balcony. Visitors strolling the Rambla often stop at its glass-fronted lobby, unaware that the building sits on the site of a venue with roots going back a century.

How did the theatre get its start?

The story begins with Julià Duch Masdeu, a businessman from Els Garidells who leased the Coliseo Mundial on Carrer Adrià in 1922. A year later he opened his own venue on Rambla Nova, on Christmas Day 1923, though the formal inauguration followed only months afterward. Duch ran the house until 1931, when he sold it to the Madrid-based company Gallao.

What happened during the 20th century?

The Spanish Civil War left the building badly damaged, and it was rebuilt almost from scratch afterward under the direction of Joan Brotons, a filmmaker and critic. For decades the venue operated chiefly as a cinema, with occasional theatre, variety shows, cabaret and concerts filling the gaps. Regular programming stopped in 1989, and the building stood idle until the Tarragona city council took ownership in 1994.

What does the theatre look like today?

The current building is an entirely new construction, designed by Tarragona architect Xavier Climent and opened to the public on 11 December 2012. It was built specifically with spoken-word theatre in mind: the volume and acoustics of the hall are tuned for drama rather than concerts or film alone, even though the stage still handles a full range of formats. Seating follows the traditional Italian layout, split between a ground-floor stalls area and an upper amphitheatre, for a total of 698 seats. The highest amphitheatre section is reached by lift, which keeps the upper rows accessible to visitors with reduced mobility. Beyond the auditorium, a spacious lobby holds the ticket desk, a bar and space for exhibitions, while an upstairs room offers panoramic views over Rambla Nova and the Mediterranean Balcony — a good spot to take in the view before a show or during the interval.

What kind of shows can you catch here?

The programming runs year-round and covers drama, opera, ballet and concerts, with the stage also used for film screenings, talks and public presentations. Because the stage is built for frontal staging, the house works equally well for touring productions and for events organised directly by the city.

Frequently asked questions

How many seats does Teatre Tarragona have? The auditorium holds 698 seats, split between the stalls and the amphitheatre.

Where exactly is it located? At number 11 Rambla Nova, Tarragona's main avenue, close to the Mediterranean Balcony.

When was the current building completed? The present building opened on 11 December 2012, though a theatre has stood on this site since 1923.

Is the theatre accessible for visitors with reduced mobility? Yes — lifts serve every level of the auditorium, including the upper amphitheatre section.

Does the theatre only host plays? No. Its programme also includes opera, ballet, concerts, film screenings and public talks.