Barcelona's opera house closes for two months in wake of economic crisis

The Gran Teatro del Liceu, Barcelona's opera house, has become the latest victim of the economic crisis in Spain as it announced it will close for two months in a bid to cuts costs.

Barcelona's opera house closes for two months in wake of economic crisis
The closure will mean temporary layoffs among many of the theatre's 395 workers, whose union has already begun negotiations with management Credit: Photo: ALAMY

The renowned Gran Teatro del Liceu, located on La Rambla in the heart of the Catalan capital, has been forced to cancel performances between March 20-April 10 and June 5-July 8, it announced Thursday.

It had previously delayed the opening of the 2011-12 season by a month.

Already running a deficit of 3.7 million euros (£3 million), theatre management said it would cut back on performances because it could not risk running up more debts and refused to "compromise artistic integrity".

Joan Francesc Marco, director general of the Liceu, said the programme had been decided years in advance but with the budget cut by 11 million euros it was no longer sustainable.

"It is sad and regrettable to cut performances but we cannot compromise on artistic integrity," he said in an interview with Vanguardia newspaper.

He blames the Liceu's difficulties on cut backs in subsidies by the Spanish Culture Ministry and the regional government of Catalonia as austerity measures kick in, and a drop in corporate sponsorship.

The number of operagoers had also dropped steadily since 2008 as people cut back on luxuries in a nation now struggling with over 23 per cent unemployment, by far the highest rate in Europe.

Catalonia, in the northeastern corner of Spain, has the biggest economy of the country's regions after Madrid but it has also been one of the hardest hit by the crisis and is one of the most heavily indebted.

The closure will mean temporary layoffs among many of the theatre's 395 workers, whose union has already begun negotiations with management.

In all 27 performances of seven shows have been cancelled. The theatre has said ticketholders will be reimbursed.