Teatro Filarmónica

Teatro Filarmónica is a historic concert theatre in the heart of Oviedo, the capital of Asturias in northern Spain, standing on Calle Mendizábal just steps from Plaza Porlier. The building serves as the home of the Sociedad Filarmónica de Oviedo, one of Spain's oldest music societies, and has anchored the city's classical music scene for generations.

When was the theatre built?

The building opened on 17-18 May 1944, with the Berlin Philharmonic performing the inaugural concerts. It gave the Filarmónica de Oviedo society a permanent home after years of hosting concerts in other venues around the city, including the Teatro Campoamor. The society itself is considerably older, tracing back to 1907, when it was founded under the name Agrupación Musical Ovetense with the aim of bringing chamber and symphonic music to the local public.

Who has performed here?

Over the decades the society's programme has featured some of the era's leading musicians. Pianist and composer Manuel de Falla appeared in 1908 and 1917, while guests over the years included Arthur Rubinstein, Sergei Rachmaninoff, Wanda Landowska, and pianist Emil Sauer. Activity was twice interrupted by turbulent history: the October 1934 uprising in Asturias paused concerts until December that year, and the Spanish Civil War halted the programme entirely from the summer of 1936 until October 1939.

What does the inside look like?

The auditorium follows a traditional layout, with a stalls section on the ground floor and a single tier of boxes and a gallery above. The stage itself is relatively modest in size, which from the start limited how large an orchestra or how elaborate a set the venue could host — but it suits the chamber-music format the society was built around.

Did the building always operate as a concert hall?

For a stretch of its history the theatre doubled as a commercial cinema, a common arrangement for Spanish theatres of the twentieth century that combined film screenings with a concert calendar. In 2004 the building underwent a significant renovation and reopened to the public the following year, in 2005, in its refurbished form.

Why is it worth a visit?

The theatre ties together Asturian musical patronage with an active concert schedule that continues today — the Sociedad Filarmónica still runs full seasons here, drawing music lovers who pass through Oviedo. In 2007 the society marked its centenary with a celebratory concert featuring Mahler's Symphony No. 3, held at the nearby Auditorio Príncipe Felipe, a sign of how central the institution remains to the region's musical life.

For visitors exploring Oviedo, the Teatro Filarmónica makes for an interesting stop that links the city's historic centre with the story of classical music in Spain — it's worth checking the local concert listings, since the hall still serves its original purpose.

Frequently asked questions

Where is the Teatro Filarmónica located? The theatre stands in central Oviedo, on Calle Mendizábal, close to Plaza Porlier.

When was the theatre building constructed? It officially opened on 17-18 May 1944 with concerts by the Berlin Philharmonic.

What is the Sociedad Filarmónica de Oviedo? It's a music society founded in 1907, one of the oldest in Spain, which has organised chamber and symphonic concerts in this theatre for decades.

Can you still attend concerts there today? Yes, the hall continues to operate as the society's home and hosts regular concert seasons.

Has the building been renovated? Yes, it underwent a renovation in 2004 and reopened to the public in 2005.