Wikipedia

Principal Theatre (Pontevedra)

The Principal Theatre of Pontevedra (Teatro Principal de Pontevedra) is a theatre in the old town of Pontevedra (Spain).

Teatro Principal de Pontevedra
Principal Theatre façade
Map
AddressPaio Gómez Charino Street
Pontevedra
Spain
Coordinates42°25′57″N 8°38′47″W / 42.432426°N 8.646422°W / 42.432426; -8.646422
OwnerCity Council of Pontevedra
Capacity464
Construction
Opened1878
Rebuilt1987
ArchitectFaustino Flores and José Miyer Caridad (interior reconstruction)
Website
entradas.ataquilla.com/ventaentradas/es/86__teatro-principal-de-pontevedra

Location

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The Principal Theatre is located in the same block as the Liceo Casino, being adjacent to it. Its main façade faces Paio Gómez Charino Street and its side façades overlook Don Filiberto and Duque de Tetuán streets.

History

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The site of the present Principal Theatre was occupied by the church of St Bartholomew the Elder until the mid-19th century. This late medieval building was in poor condition by the end of the 18th century. In 1769, demolition began, but it was finally demolished in 1844.[1][2]

After several years as an open square (Tetuán Square), in 1864 a Liceo Casino (work of Domingo Lareu) and the Principal Theatre (work of Faustino Flores), which belonged to the Liceo Casino,[3] were built, inaugurated on 2 August 1878.[4] The theatre was for the exclusive use of members of the Liceo Casino and in fact the entrance to the theatre was through the main façade of the Liceo Casino.[5] The theatre opened with the company of Miguel Cepillo, who performed El esclavo de su culpa by Juan Antonio Cavestany.[6]

Manuel Becerra bought the building at a judicial auction in 1892.[7] In April 1900, this building hosted the first cinema projection in Pontevedra,[8] and in December of the same year, the first phonograph audition. The theatre hosted concerts by renowned artists such as the violinist Manuel Quiroga and the pianist Arthur Rubinstein.[5] In 1942 the theatre became the property of Dolores Vázquez.[7] In the mid-20th century the theatre functioned almost exclusively as a cinema.

On 14 April 1980, a fire destroyed both buildings, although the interior walls and exterior walls remained standing. On 1 July 1983, the plenary session of the municipality of Pontevedra unanimously decided to buy the ruins of the Teatro Principal.[9] On 22 August 1983, the City Council acquired the ruins of the theatre and on 9 January 1984, an invitation to tender was issued for its reconstruction.[10]

The current building, inaugurated on 3 January 1987, is the work of the architect José Miyer Caridad, who won the preliminary design competition.[11]

Description

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The façade of the theatre is neoclassical. It has symmetrical windows and doors with granite frames, and those on the first floor have eaves.[12] The main entrance ends in a pediment with a hollow arch inside. In July 2015, the façade of the theatre was restored to the white stone walls with which the building was designed in the 19th century.[13]

The theatre is spread over five floors and two basements, in which it houses two exhibition rooms and an auditorium with a total capacity of 434 seats.[14][15] Its stage, which occupies 52 square metres, is equipped with a mobile platform.

The interior space has a false ceiling which helps to improve acoustics, as well as hiding the lighting installation. Its decorative style sought to combine the look of 19th century theatres with a more contemporary interior.[16]

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  •  
    North side façade with its classical pilasters
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    Facade illuminated at night
  •  
    Façade
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    Black and white façade
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    South façade with the ticket office (on the left)
  •  
    Entrance
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    Scene
  •  
    Façade
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    North façade

References

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  1. ^ "Crónicas de San Bartolomé 'O Vello'". Diario de Pontevedra (in Spanish). 7 January 2018.
  2. ^ "Hallan restos de la iglesia de San Bartolomé el Viejo bajo las ruinas del Liceo Casino". La Voz de Galicia (in Spanish). 17 November 2018.
  3. ^ "La sociedad más antigua de Pontevedra". Diario de Pontevedra (in Spanish). 13 September 2018.
  4. ^ "En el Teatro Principal podrán entrar todos menos el agua". La Voz de Galicia (in Spanish). 27 June 2015.
  5. ^ a b "Una solución práctica de la arquitectura tradicional". Faro (in Spanish). 27 June 2015..
  6. ^ Nieto, Remigio, 1980, Guía Monumental ilustrada de Pontevedra, Pontevedra, Asociación de Comerciantes de la calle Manuel Quiroga, p. 28.
  7. ^ a b "El Teatro Principal, una propiedad muy codiciada". Faro (in Spanish). 6 December 2020.
  8. ^ López Piñeiro, Carlos Aurelio (1998). O nacemento dunha cidade. A implantación do cine en Pontevedra (in Galician). Pontevedra: Deputación de Pontevedra. pp. 12–14. ISBN 9788489690547.
  9. ^ "El Concello compra las ruinas del Teatro Principal". La Voz de Galicia (in Spanish). 1 July 2017.
  10. ^ "El arquitecto Miyar Caridad diseña el nuevo Teatro Principal". La Voz de Galicia (in Spanish). 28 July 2018.
  11. ^ "El fuego que revolucionó la cultura local". Diario de Pontevedra (in Spanish). 15 April 2021.
  12. ^ Fontoira Surís, Rafael, 2009, Pontevedra Monumental, Pontevedra, Diputación de Pontevedra, p. 412
  13. ^ "El Teatro Principal estrena imagen". La Voz de Galicia (in Spanish). 9 July 2015.
  14. ^ "¿Cuáles son los teatros más importantes de España?". Europa Press (in Spanish). 14 November 2016.
  15. ^ "Pontevedra retomará a programación cultural o 25 de maio con aforamentos reducidos". Diario de Pontevedra (in Spanish). 3 May 2020.
  16. ^ "El Teatro Principal de Pontevedra en el cupón de la ONCE". ONCE (in Spanish). 13 February 2020.

See also

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Teatro Principal, Pontevedra.

Bibliography

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  • Ayuntamiento de Pontevedra, 1985. Pontevedra recupera su Teatro Principal. Ed. Ayuntamiento de Pontevedra
  • Fontoira Surís, Rafael (2009): Pontevedra monumental. Diputación de Pontevedra. ISBN 8484573273.
  • Nieto, Remigio (1980) : Guía monumental ilustrada de Pontevedra. Asociación de Comerciantes de la Calle Manuel Quiroga, Pontevedra. p. 28.
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