Main Theater

The doors of the Principal Theatre in Valencia opened in 1832, although its construction work did not completely finish until 1854. Italian architect and stage designer Felipe Fontana created the initial designs in 1774 at the request of the General Hospital. These designs followed the Italian model to a tee. The architect Cristóbal Salas overhauled the original plans, retaining the fundamental elements of Fontana’s plan, and adapted them to the space available for constructing the theatre, the land where the Corral de La Olivera theatre had once stood. He worked in this role until 1806, when Juan Marzo became involved in managing the initial construction work. He would be in charge of completing it twenty-five years later. Marzo amended the plan and considerably reduced the original dimensions, both in the floor plan and in the roof height, and got rid of the fourth floor, the circle and the harpsichord space. The doors of the theatre opened for the first time in July 1832, even though construction work had not finished. The great deal of excitement that it had generated forced the architect to build the fourth floor that he had previously scrapped. In 1854, construction was completed and work on the façade was finished. This was the work of Zacarías Camaña, following Sebastián Monleón’s designs. In 1947, the vestibule of the hall was altered and decorated with frescos by the painter Stolz Viciano. The interior of the hall was decorated in a rococo style, which was painted by Camarón.

The theatre belongs to the Provincial Council of Valencia. However, under an agreement signed in 1990, it is currently managed by an independent body from the Regional Ministry of Culture, Education and Sport, Theatres of the Valencia Regional Government.

Successive improvement works that are currently being carried out include modernising the stage, widening the pit, installing air conditioning, refurbishing the dressing rooms and the administrative facilities attached to the theatre, restoring the large hall lamp, upgrading facilities to comply with current safety regulations, replacing the original boiler with modern natural-gas equipment and changing the old seats for comfortable ones. It has a regular programme of events from September to June, which includes theatre, dance and opera shows.