El Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía
Encyclopedia
Queen Sofía Palace of the Arts (Spanish
: Palacio de las Artes Reina Sofía, Valencian: Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia) is an opera house
and cultural centre in Valencia, Spain
. It opened on 8 October 2005; its first opera staging was of Beethoven's Fidelio
on 25 October 2006.
Administration of the company is under the leadership of Helga Schmidt, formerly of London's Royal Opera House
(from 1973 to 1981). Schmidt has attracted some major artists to be involved with the Palau. Among them is Zubin Mehta
, who leads an annual music and opera festival, the Festival del Mediterráneo, which began in 2007; Lorin Maazel
, who became music director; and Plácido Domingo
, who brought his Operalia competition to the Palau in October 2007, and performs there regularly (Cyrano de Bergerac in 2007, Iphigénie en Tauride in 2008, Die Walküre in 2009).
The resident orchestra at the Queen Sofía Palace of the Arts is the Valencian Community Orchestra
. The theatre's first season was dated, 2006-2007. During the first and second seasons the theatre staged seven or eight operas per season, as well as an operetta, a zarzuela
, and vocal recitals. During the 2008-2009 season theatre staged seven operas and one zarzuela, in performances that mainly conducted by Lorin Maazel
. Soloists included Plácido Domingo
, Christopher Ventris
, Vittorio Grigolo
, Maria Guleghina
, and Cristina Gallardo-Domâs
. The 2008-2009 Festival del Mediterrani included the complete Der Ring des Nibelungen
cycle conducted by Zubin Mehta
, again with Plácido Domingo.
The Queen Sofía company promotes symphonic concerts, opera galas, and vocal recitals. The company also hosts the Centre de Perfeccionament Plácido Domingo
, an advanced training program of international draw for young opera artists, named in honor of Plácido Domingo.
concept designed by the Valencia-born and internationally known architect
, Santiago Calatrava
, which began in 1995 and it was opened on 8 October 2005.
The building rises 14 stories above ground and includes 3 stories below ground, and height is 75 metres (246 ft), being the tallest opera house
in the world. Under the expansive curved-roof structure, 230 m (755 ft) in length. The 40000 square metre building contains four auditoriums:
The building suffered a number of unfortunate incidents after its opening which hampered initial productions. The first of these was the collapse of the main stage platform while it was bearing the complete set of Jonathan Miller's production of Don Giovanni in December 2006. This forced the Palau to cancel the last performance of La Bohème, all of La Belle et la Bête, and meant that the management had to reschedule the remainder of the inaugural opera season. In November 2007, the entire cultural complex suffered a series of floods. The recently re-built stage platform was paralised once again because almost 2 m (7 ft) of water entered the lower floors of the building and wrecked the electronics and the motors of the complex stage equipment, forcing the management to re-schedule the season again, delaying the premiere of Carmen and canceling the opera, 1984.
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
: Palacio de las Artes Reina Sofía, Valencian: Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia) is an opera house
Opera house
An opera house is a theatre building used for opera performances that consists of a stage, an orchestra pit, audience seating, and backstage facilities for costumes and set building...
and cultural centre in Valencia, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. It opened on 8 October 2005; its first opera staging was of Beethoven's Fidelio
Fidelio
Fidelio is a German opera in two acts by Ludwig van Beethoven. It is Beethoven's only opera. The German libretto is by Joseph Sonnleithner from the French of Jean-Nicolas Bouilly which had been used for the 1798 opera Léonore, ou L’amour conjugal by Pierre Gaveaux, and for the 1804 opera Leonora...
on 25 October 2006.
The company
Royal Opera House
The Royal Opera House is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. The large building is often referred to as simply "Covent Garden", after a previous use of the site of the opera house's original construction in 1732. It is the home of The Royal Opera, The...
(from 1973 to 1981). Schmidt has attracted some major artists to be involved with the Palau. Among them is Zubin Mehta
Zubin Mehta
Zubin Mehta is an Indian conductor of western classical music. He is the Music Director for Life of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra.-Biography:...
, who leads an annual music and opera festival, the Festival del Mediterráneo, which began in 2007; Lorin Maazel
Lorin Maazel
Lorin Varencove Maazel is an American conductor, violinist and composer.- Early life :Maazel was born to Jewish-American parents in Neuilly-sur-Seine in France and brought up in the United States, primarily at his parents' home in Pittsburgh's Oakland neighborhood. His father, Lincoln Maazel , was...
, who became music director; and Plácido Domingo
Plácido Domingo
Plácido Domingo KBE , born José Plácido Domingo Embil, is a Spanish tenor and conductor known for his versatile and strong voice, possessing a ringing and dramatic tone throughout its range...
, who brought his Operalia competition to the Palau in October 2007, and performs there regularly (Cyrano de Bergerac in 2007, Iphigénie en Tauride in 2008, Die Walküre in 2009).
The resident orchestra at the Queen Sofía Palace of the Arts is the Valencian Community Orchestra
Valencian Community Orchestra
The Valencian Community Orchestra , is an orchestra based in Valencia, Spain and the resident orchestra of Valencia’s opera house, El Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía.- History :The Orchestra was created in 2006 to be the orchestra of the new opera house...
. The theatre's first season was dated, 2006-2007. During the first and second seasons the theatre staged seven or eight operas per season, as well as an operetta, a zarzuela
Zarzuela
Zarzuela is a Spanish lyric-dramatic genre that alternates between spoken and sung scenes, the latter incorporating operatic and popular song, as well as dance...
, and vocal recitals. During the 2008-2009 season theatre staged seven operas and one zarzuela, in performances that mainly conducted by Lorin Maazel
Lorin Maazel
Lorin Varencove Maazel is an American conductor, violinist and composer.- Early life :Maazel was born to Jewish-American parents in Neuilly-sur-Seine in France and brought up in the United States, primarily at his parents' home in Pittsburgh's Oakland neighborhood. His father, Lincoln Maazel , was...
. Soloists included Plácido Domingo
Plácido Domingo
Plácido Domingo KBE , born José Plácido Domingo Embil, is a Spanish tenor and conductor known for his versatile and strong voice, possessing a ringing and dramatic tone throughout its range...
, Christopher Ventris
Christopher Ventris
Christopher Ventris is a British tenor. He is particularly known for his role as Parsifal which he performed at the Bayreuth Festival in 2008....
, Vittorio Grigolo
Vittorio Grigolo
Vittorio Grigolo is an Italian singer.Grigolo was born in Arezzo, but raised in Rome.He began singing by the age of four...
, Maria Guleghina
Maria Guleghina
Maria Agasovna Guleghina is a Ukrainian-Russian soprano opera singer, particularly associated with the Italian repertory.-Biography:Maria Guleghina was born in Odessa, Ukraine , to an Armenian father and a Ukrainian mother, where she studied voice at the Music Conservatory with Evgeny Nikolaevich...
, and Cristina Gallardo-Domâs
Cristina Gallardo-Domâs
Cristina Gallardo-Domâs is a soprano, born in Santiago, Chile, who frequently performs in operas by Puccini.Gallardo-Domâs made her debut as Madama Butterfly in 1990 at the Municipal Theatre in Santiago and, three years later, began performing in opera houses in Europe, making her La Scala debut in...
. The 2008-2009 Festival del Mediterrani included the complete Der Ring des Nibelungen
Der Ring des Nibelungen
Der Ring des Nibelungen is a cycle of four epic operas by the German composer Richard Wagner . The works are based loosely on characters from the Norse sagas and the Nibelungenlied...
cycle conducted by Zubin Mehta
Zubin Mehta
Zubin Mehta is an Indian conductor of western classical music. He is the Music Director for Life of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra.-Biography:...
, again with Plácido Domingo.
The Queen Sofía company promotes symphonic concerts, opera galas, and vocal recitals. The company also hosts the Centre de Perfeccionament Plácido Domingo
Plácido Domingo
Plácido Domingo KBE , born José Plácido Domingo Embil, is a Spanish tenor and conductor known for his versatile and strong voice, possessing a ringing and dramatic tone throughout its range...
, an advanced training program of international draw for young opera artists, named in honor of Plácido Domingo.
The building
Queen Sofía Palace of the Arts is the final structure built of a grand City of Arts and SciencesCiutat de les Arts i les Ciències
The City of Arts and Sciences is an entertainment-based cultural and architectural complex in the city of Valencia, Spain. It is the most important modern tourist destination in the city of Valencia....
concept designed by the Valencia-born and internationally known architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
, Santiago Calatrava
Santiago Calatrava
Santiago Calatrava Valls is a Spanish architect, sculptor and structural engineer whose principal office is in Zürich, Switzerland. Classed now among the elite designers of the world, he has offices in Zürich, Paris, Valencia, and New York City....
, which began in 1995 and it was opened on 8 October 2005.
The building rises 14 stories above ground and includes 3 stories below ground, and height is 75 metres (246 ft), being the tallest opera house
Opera house
An opera house is a theatre building used for opera performances that consists of a stage, an orchestra pit, audience seating, and backstage facilities for costumes and set building...
in the world. Under the expansive curved-roof structure, 230 m (755 ft) in length. The 40000 square metre building contains four auditoriums:
- The Sala Principal (Main Hall), which seats 1,700 people and functions primarily for opera, but it may be converted for dance and other performing arts. The Hall has four tiers of seating, a stage equipped with all major facilities, and the third largest orchestra pit in the world, being capable of housing 120 musicians.
The building suffered a number of unfortunate incidents after its opening which hampered initial productions. The first of these was the collapse of the main stage platform while it was bearing the complete set of Jonathan Miller's production of Don Giovanni in December 2006. This forced the Palau to cancel the last performance of La Bohème, all of La Belle et la Bête, and meant that the management had to reschedule the remainder of the inaugural opera season. In November 2007, the entire cultural complex suffered a series of floods. The recently re-built stage platform was paralised once again because almost 2 m (7 ft) of water entered the lower floors of the building and wrecked the electronics and the motors of the complex stage equipment, forcing the management to re-schedule the season again, delaying the premiere of Carmen and canceling the opera, 1984.
- The Auditorium is located above the Main Hall. It seats 1,500 people and its facilities include sound and video systems capable of projecting displays of events taking place in venues below it. Officially given to the managing trust during the 2007–2008 season, it is a spectacular venue with multiple uses, from classical music concerts to political rallies.
- Aula Magistral is capable of seating 400 people and is used for chamber musicChamber musicChamber music is a form of classical music, written for a small group of instruments which traditionally could be accommodated in a palace chamber. Most broadly, it includes any art music that is performed by a small number of performers with one performer to a part...
performances and conferences.
- Martí i Soler Theatre was constructed below the base of the Palau's plume and seats 400 people. It shall be used for theatre productions and as a training centre for the main auditoria. Unfortunately, this hall suffered vast damage during the 2007 flooding and its opening was delayed. No equipment had been installed before the flooding, however, so the estimated cost for reconstruction was much lower than it would have been shortly thereafter.