The building of the Teatro Real

The spaces accommodated inside the 65,000 square metres of the Teatro Real make this building a unique location. Its main auditorium, with a seating capacity of 1,746 (depending on the orchestra pit), is a reproduction of the original theatre when it opened in 1850.

Behind the curtain, this iconic building hides one of the most advanced stages in European theatres; its innovative technology allows simultaneous work on different scenes and scene changing in record time, thanks to a system of overlapping platforms.

As well as the innovative technical equipment, the building has some outstanding spaces, such as the great halls situated on the second floor of the building which recreate the atmosphere of the opera in the XIX century and which house some remarkable works of art.

Stage

• Portal: 18 X 14 m.
• Stage: 1.430 m2.
• Flyloft: 37 m. (h.)
• Pit: 24 m.
• 18 plaftorms with vertical movement
• Two plaftorms for loading lorries

Under the stage, eighteen platforms with vertical movement (four tiltable and four with horizontal movement), a platform for trailers and another for set assembly, allow the Teatro Real to change sets completely from act to act, accommodating up to 6 staged operas simultaneously.

The Main Auditorium , with a capacity for 1752 people, is an internationally recognised theatre, not only for the design and decoration, but also for the exceptional acoustics.

The Foyer is the hall where every visitor to the Teatro Real is warmly welcomed. It is the ideal place to watch, see and be seen, where visitors can lose themselves amidst its spectacular columns.

In a privileged position, right above the Teatro Real's main entrance, the Goya Room ocuppies the state room where the Royal Family used to recieve their guests in the 19th century.

The Teatro Real boasts a magnificent terrace from which to contemplate the beautiful views of the Royal Palace and the gardens of the Plaza de Oriente.

The first thing that strikes the visitor to the Vergara Room as one steps on the carpet is the care with which this room has been decorated with outstanding works of art, such as the eighteenth century console table and nineteenth century oil paintings: Una poesía by Juan José Zapater, Estudio del natural by Luis Larmig and Tres alegorías by Verger Fioretti and García Mencía, all of which belong to the collection of the Museo del Prado.

The highlight of the Arrieta Room is the chandelier that once decorated the original Royal Box before the Theatre's refurbishment and now presides over and illuminates this space. The intricate tapestries that decorate its walls were crafted in Brussels and Spain's Real Fábrica de Tapices during the 17th and 18th centuries.

The special charm of the Felipe V Room lies in the paintings that decorate its wall, which sum up not only a large part of the Theatre's existence but depict the monarchs who in one way or another have written a page in the history of the Teatro Real.

Decorated by a huge carpet and a Venetian mirror, the Carlos III Room contains in its annex roundabout two canvases from the collection of the Teatro Real representing tenor Ronconi and composer Arrieta.

The Ballroom has a theatrical decoration at the hands of Pascua Ortega draws inspiration to the original theatre boxes. The decorations include operatic costumes used in performances such as Aida and Ana Bolena, as well as musical instruments. But the room's defining feature is the ceiling, with 630 fibre-optic lights that represent the stars in the night sky over Madrid.

Este es uno de esos lugares del Teatro Real en los que se puede decir que una obra de arte está enmarcada por otra. Y es que a la moderna decoración y diseño del Café de Palacio, con maderas de cedro libanés, estuco y mármoles, hay que sumar la colección de cuadros cedidos por el Museo Centro de Arte Reina Sofía y la Comunidad de Madrid, de autores tan reconocidos como Cuixart, Canogar, Barjola, Bores, Equipo Crónica, Rivera, Delgado o Macarrón.

The Teatro Real has workshops covering all the activities of an opera. The Tailoring Department is where the costumes that singers wear onstage are made, and have created from complicated 16th century costumes to the most innovative and cutting-edge designs.

The Characterization Department creates all kinds of wigs, hairpieces and transformations. Each wig is formed by natural hair and is made hair by hair, giving it a natural look that endures close-ups during HD streamings, one of the increasing activities in this digital age.

Scattered around the sixth floor of the Teatro Real, there are numerous rehearsal spaces, for both soloists and ensembles. The all have spectacular views of the historic center of Madrid through the windows that occupy the entire level.

The orchestra rehearsal room, or Manuel de Falla room, wood paneled, enveloped by the curved surface of the roof providing the space needed for musical notes to resonate in the best conditions. Large wooden umbrellas have the dual function of lighting and refining the acoustics, forming a unique and cozy space that includes a showcase of old Madrid through the colonnade of the facade.

72 metres high, the Teatro Real's stage box is a 360º watchtower from where to view all of Madrid's historic center.

The stage box is so high that the Telefonica Building in Gran Via (visible in the distance) could fit inside, from the stage pit to the roof.