“The three million is a consolidated figure, a good moment for theater, the best moment in history,” says Isabel Vidal, president of the theatrical companies of Catalonia (Adetca), at the presentation conference of the data for the 25-26 season and the gala Catalunya aixeca el teló, which takes place on Monday night at the Gran Teatre del Liceu.
For the third consecutive year, Barcelona theaters maintain the record of three million spectators. Specifically: 3,176,328. The revenue also set a record: more than 103.1 million euros.
The three million is a consolidated figure, a good moment for theater, the best moment in history
Isabel Vidal
President of Adetca
But the novelty of the 26-26 season that closed this summer is that for the first time many of the professional theaters of Catalonia have been counted, raising the number of spectators to 4,081,780.
To obtain this figure, data collected by the general directorate of Drets Culturals, Creació i Biblioteques corresponding to the stable municipal programming of 82% of the municipalities with facilities integrated into the Public System of Scenic and Musical Equipment (SPEEM) have been added, as well as data from private venues outside the city of Barcelona.
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Those just over four million spectators generated revenue of 115 million euros thanks to an average occupancy of 67% in more than 16,988 performances of 2,829 shows. Barcelona’s revenue was more than 103 million, Vidal points out.
Among the proposals offered by the large venues, the most popular shows were the Mago Pop (Victòria), the latest production of The Phantom of the Opera (Tívoli), Improshow (Teatreneu), the musical comedy L’amor venia amb taxi, by La Cubana (Romea), and Albert Pla and Peyu’s Hamlet (Coliseum).
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And regarding shows in venues with fewer than 200 seats, the ranking is led by Corta el cable rojo (Muntaner); Permagel, Ovelles and Desaparellats (Espai Texas); and Y no quedará ninguno (Sala Ars Teatre BCN).
Vidal also highlighted that 58% of the shows are Catalan productions; 49% of the authorship was Catalan; 41% of the shows were performed in Catalan and 32% in Spanish. 49% of the spectators have seen shows in Catalan and 35% in Spanish.
The Minister of Culture, Sònia Hernández, highlighted the value of the available data on cultural consumption in Catalonia. In this regard, she announced that the Generalitat plans to present a Cultural Data Observatory in the first half of 2027 within the framework of the Cultural Rights Law being processed in the Parliament.
‘Catalunya aixeca el teló’
The gala will be a journey through 25 years of celebrations of this season opening festival
About tonight’s gala at the Gran Teatre del Liceu, with the motto ‘Passi el que passi’, Adetca’s vice president, Toni Albaladejo, revealed that it will be led by Marta Ribera, artistically directed by Joan Maria Segura, with musical direction and arrangements by Xavier Mestres, original script by Sergi Belbel and adaptation by Edu Pericas.
This year’s honorary award, Menció Honorífica del Premi Catalunya de Teatre – Adetca 2026, goes to the president of Focus, Daniel Martínez de Obregón. The company, which manages the Romea, Goya, La Villarroel and Condal theaters in Catalonia, celebrates 40 years with its eyes set on Gènesis, the great project born in Poblenou, with a theater hall and performing arts school.
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