Paseo de Cristóbal Colón, 22The Teatro de la Maestranza was inaugurated on May 2, 1991. The work of architects Aurelio del Pozo and Luis Marín, its location on a privileged site of historical Sevilla, its exceptional technical features along with the quality and variety of its programming, makes the theatre one of the most prominent stage settings in Europe.
The theatre was conceived to be one of the main cultural venues of the Seville Expo '92, and the first performance took place in 1991, shortly before the inauguration of the Universal Exposition.
Although the Teatro de la Maestranza is mainly devoted to opera, there are also performances of Zarzuela (Spanish operetta) and other musical performances.
The resident orchestra is the Royal Seville Symphony Orchestra (ROSS), and the artistic director is Pedro Halffter. The theatre is the ROSS' main concert venue and the home of the Choir of the Friends' Society of the Maestranza Theatre.
In spite of the 153 operas whose stories take place in Sevilla, the city did not have adequate installations to stage such complex events. In 1985 the Diputación Provincial de Sevilla, which owned the public plot of land of a former military barracks -Maestranza de Artillería-, put out a call for tenders to construct a covered polyvalent auditorium. Architects Aurelio del Pozo and Luis Marín were chosen to carry out the project.
The building began on February 10, 1987. However in mid-1988, and with the approaching date of The World’s Fair in Sevilla -Expo’92-, the project was adopted as the need for a performance space to accommodate opera and large scale symphonic programs became a priority.
Queen Sofía of Spain opened the theatre on May 2, 1991. In the years that followed, tens of thousands made the theatre their own. There was a renewed interest in opera, classical music, and ballet with Season tickets subscriptions and sold-out Box Office events. In this way, today’s audience remains the theatre’s most staunch supporter. The consolidation of the Maestranza as a beacon of culture at both a local and global level resulted in a renovation during the years 2005 to 2007. The performance area was extended and with this new space, the structures and technical features were aligned with the production needs of any major theatre.
The importance of the Teatro de la Maestranza in reactivating stage and musical events in Sevilla, a city that has played a key role in the history of opera and has been fundamental in the development of flamenco was recognized by UNESCO: in 2006. Sevilla was the first city in the world to be awarded the title of “City of Music”.