Royal Theatre

The Royal Theatre of Madrid, a project by the municipal architect Antonio López Aguado during the reign of Isabella I, was inaugurated in 1850 (although the foundation stone was laid on April 23, 1818). Located very close to the Puerta del Sol, the building was one of the leading theatres in Europe for 75 years, but a collapse in 1925 caused it to be closed for 41 years. In 1966 it reopened as an auditorium and home to the Royal Conservatory of Music and School of Dramatic Art. Declared a National Monument in 1977, it was not until 1997, after almost seven years of renovations, that it once again became Madrid's home for bel canto. In 2021, it received the International Opera Award for Best Opera House. The 78,210 m² building is an architectural marvel, featuring a stage house that is the jewel of the theater at 1,472 m². This stage house allows for complex set changes thanks to its 18 articulated platforms, which permit multiple combinations on the stage and in the orchestra pit. With a maximum capacity of 1,958 seats in its main auditorium, depending on the needs of the production, the theater has 28 boxes distributed across its six floors, in addition to eight prosceniums and the double-height Royal Box. The theater has several halls that can be rented for public or private events of all kinds. These include the Manuel de Falla Hall, where orchestras can rehearse with excellent acoustics due to its design; The Falla Hall, located directly above the entrance on the second floor, boasts a unique terrace offering views of the Royal Palace and the gardens of the Plaza de Oriente. The Felipe V, Arrieta, Carlos III, Vergara, and Ballroom Halls are adjacent and decorated in different color schemes with pieces from the National Heritage collection and the Prado Museum. The chandeliers were manufactured at the Royal Factory of La Granja. The Gayarre Hall is a multipurpose auditorium with 190 seats, equipped with modern technology that makes it ideal for everything from opera recitals to corporate events requiring audiovisual presentations. Furthermore, on the sixth floor of the theater is the Papagena restaurant, where you can enjoy an artistic and gastronomic experience created by interior designer Luis García Fraile and chef Ramón Freixa, while taking in breathtaking views of the Royal Palace and the gardens of the Plaza de Oriente.