| The Grand Theatre of the Liceu was built at the | | | | main hall of the first building, explicitly inspired by Milan's |
| proposal of the Liceu Filharmònico-Dramà tic | | | | Teatro alla Scala, is laid out as a horseshoe with stalls |
| Barcelonès. Joaquim de Gispert, a member and | | | | and five levels. Seating capacity is 2,292, one of the |
| director of the institution, got the allowance of the lands | | | | largest opera houses in Europe. The boxes - with small |
| of the former Trinity Convent in the Rambla, where | | | | box foyers - are in the proscenium, around the stalls |
| construction of the theatre began in 1844, under the | | | | and the amphitheatre, which have three rows of seats |
| direction of the architect Francesc d'AssÃs Soler, | | | | in the front. |
| who was replaced a year later by Josep Oriol | | | | The good acoustics of the Liceu's hall was due to an |
| Mestres and Miquel Garriga i Roca. The Gran Teatre | | | | adequate judgment of its geometry, now reproduced, |
| del Liceu was inaugurated in 1848. | | | | and the average reverberation time of between 1.3 |
| Founded in 1847 on Barcelona's La Rambla, the Gran | | | | and 1.5 seconds is the optimum for hearing the human |
| Teatre del Liceu is an opera house that has kept hold | | | | voice. The new hall has retained and improved these |
| of its role as a culture and arts centre throughout its | | | | ideal conditions with a number of corrections. |
| history and one that represents one of the symbols of | | | | This monument to Belle Epoque is one of the grandest |
| the city. Today, it is a publicly-owned theatre - by the | | | | theaters in the world. It was designed by the Catalan |
| Catalan Regional Government, Barcelona City Council, | | | | architect Josep Oriol Mestves. The Theatre of the |
| Barcelona Provincial Council and the Ministry of Culture | | | | Liceu is the Barcelona's opera house, one of the best |
| - under the administration of the Fundació del Gran | | | | in Spain. It was built in the XIX Century with private |
| Teatre del Liceu, which, besides the above institutions, | | | | shareholders, being a good bourgeois place to meet |
| incorporates the Patronage Committee and the old | | | | each other. Every type of performance, from musical |
| Societat del Gran Teatre del Liceu. | | | | galas, operas and ballets to rowdy carnival dances, are |
| The Gran Teatre del Liceu stands in the central part of | | | | held in this theater. At present, it is a publicly-owned |
| Barcelona's bustling Rambla, the emblematic | | | | theatre - by the Catalan Regional Government, |
| promenade of the Old Quarter, which has retained its | | | | Barcelona City Council, Barcelona Provincial Council |
| leading role and colorful personality over the years. | | | | and the Ministry of Culture - under the administration of |
| Of the traditional building, the part of the central | | | | the Fundació del Gran Teatre del Liceu. It has |
| façade on La Rambla, the main vestibule with the | | | | retained its role as a culture and arts centre throughout |
| staircases and the Hall of Mirrors were saved from | | | | its history and one that represents one of the symbols |
| the 1994 fire and are maintained just as they were. | | | | of the city. |
| The authentic imitation of the main hall and the stage, | | | | Anil Gupta recommends that you visit barcelona hotels |
| which had been completely destroyed by the fire, has | | | | for more information. |
| allowed a number of changes and improvements. The | | | | |