The Teatro Fernán Gómez (previously Centro Cultural de la Villa de Madrid) is a theatre and cultural centre in Madrid, Spain.

Teatro Fernán Gómez
Exterior view in 2011.
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Former namesCentro Cultural de la Villa de Madrid
AddressPlaza de Colón 4
LocationMadrid, Spain
Coordinates40°25′30″N 3°41′22″W / 40.42500°N 3.68944°W / 40.42500; -3.68944
Public transitColón
TypePublic theatre
CapacitySala Guirau: 689
Sala Jardiel Poncela: 95–175
Construction
Opened15 May 1977; 47 years ago (1977-05-15)
ArchitectManuel Herrero Palacios [es]
Website
www.teatrofernangomez.es

History

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Located near the Plaza de Colón in the Jardines del Descubrimiento, the theatre was inaugurated on 15 May 1977.[1] Since its early days, its programme has featured plays by both classical and contemporary authors, as well as other events such as concerts and exhibitions.[2] One of its first major events was hosting the 1977 OTI Festival.

In 2007, the theatre adopted the name of actor and author Fernando Fernán Gómez, who had died that year.[3] In September 2013, the City Council of Madrid dismissed the director of the theatre and announced its intention to privatize its management, sparking outrage in the cultural world.[4] The council eventually conceded.[5]

Structure

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The theatre has three rooms. The main one, Sala Guirau, has a capacity for 682 people. The secondary Sala Jardiel Poncela (also known simply as Sala Dos) can accommodate up to 175 people.[6] The third room is an exhibition hall (Sala de exposiciones) with a surface area of 2,000 square metres (22,000 sq ft).[7]

Other uses

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The theatre has hosted funerals of celebrated artists on several occasions throughout the years, with those of Lola Flores (1995),[8] Rocío Jurado (2006),[9] and Tony Leblanc (2012)[10] being notable examples.

References

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  1. ^ "Hoy estrena Madrid la nueva Plaza de Colón" (in Spanish). ABC. 15 May 1977. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  2. ^ Pérez, Manuel (1993). "La escena madrileña en la transición política (1975-1982)" (PDF). Teatro: revista de estudios teatrales (in Spanish). 3–4: 23.
  3. ^ "El centro cultural de la Villa se llamará Teatro Fernando Fernán- Gómez" (in Spanish). 20minutos. 22 November 2007. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  4. ^ García Gallo, Bruno (27 September 2013). "El Ayuntamiento de Madrid quiere privatizar el teatro Fernán Gómez" (in Spanish). El País. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  5. ^ "El Ayuntamiento niega que pretenda privatizar el Teatro Fernán Gómez". zonaretiro.com (in Spanish). 15 November 2013. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  6. ^ "Teatro Fernán Gómez Centro Cultural de la Villa - Madrid". www.todosalteatro.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  7. ^ "Fernán Gómez Centro Cultural de la Villa". www.madridcultura.es (in Spanish). Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  8. ^ Castilla, Amelia; García, Rocío (17 May 1995). "España pierde a su artista más popular" (in Spanish). El País. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  9. ^ Vicente, Sandra (1 June 2006). "Despedida de los ciudadanos a Rocío Jurado" (in Spanish). El Mundo. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  10. ^ "La capilla ardiente de Tony Leblanc, fallecido a los 90 años, abierta al público". www.que.es (in Spanish). 25 November 2012. Archived from the original on 28 November 2012. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
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