A scene full of possibilities

Madrid is one of the cities that offers the most theatre culture. We Madrid residents are proud to have a diverse cultural programme that includes, in addition to classical theatre, opera, magic, dance, musicals, circus...

Our stage spaces host year after year the best shows on the national and international scene, where classics and contemporary shows coexist, and where you will enjoy the art of great playwrights, directors and performers from our country and from around the world. Here we leave you a selection of what we consider essential in Madrid.

Opera, classical music and zarzuela in Madrid

Madrid is a region with a rich musical tradition that dates back to the Middle Ages. In the historical development of Spanish music, Madrid has occupied a fundamental place as the residence of the Court, the capital of Spain and the seat of the Central Administration. Its musical centres, both civil and religious, have been pioneers in the introduction of new trends over time, with the Court and its musical institution par excellence, the Royal Chapel, standing out above all.

Our region is a privileged place to enjoy music in all its forms. It offers a wide range of opera, classical music and zarzuela, with a full calendar of seasons and events. In addition, Madrid has been a source of inspiration for many composers, who have created works that have become part of the Spanish musical heritage.

Opera arrived in Madrid in the 17th century, thanks to Italian composers. The city's first opera house was the Real Coliseo del Buen Retiro, which opened in 1638. Over the centuries, Madrid has hosted great opera figures such as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Giuseppe Verdi and Richard Wagner.

Today, Madrid has an important opera offering, with a full calendar of seasons and one of the most important opera houses in the world, the Teatro Real, which received the International Opera Award for Best Opera House in 2021.

Classical music also has a great tradition in Madrid. The city has inspired and served as a setting for the creation of works by composers such as Tomás Luis de Victoria, Juan de Navas, Domenico Scarlatti, Luigi Boccherini, Gaetano Brunetti, José Palomino, Pablo Sarasate, Enrique Fernández Arbós, Enrique Granados, Manuel de Falla, Pablo Casals, Joaquín Turina and Joaquín Rodrigo.

The region has a significant number of orchestras, choirs and conservatories, as well as a significant number of choirs. The most notable are the ORCAM, the JORCAM, the Orchestra and Choir of RTVE, the ONCAM, the JOSM or the OCA.

The main centres for the dissemination of this type of music in the Region are: the National Auditorium, the Monumental Theatre, or the Juan March Foundation, among others, and events such as the International Festival of Sacred Art, the A Villa Voz Festival, the Brunetti Festival, the Aranjuez Early Music Festival or the Villaviciosa de Odón Music Festival, among others.

Zarzuela is a musical genre that combines music, singing and dialogue. It originated in Madrid in the 17th century and remains very popular today. The city of Madrid has an important zarzuela offering, with a full calendar of seasons. The Teatro de la Zarzuela is the main cultural centre of reference in the region for this genre.

Some of the most famous works inspired by Madrid are: "Water, Sugar Cubes and Brandy" by Federico Chueca, "The Barber of Lavapiés" by Barbieri, "Doña Francisquita" by Amadeo Vives, "La Gran Vía" by Chueca and Valverde, "The One with the Bunch of Roses" by Pablo Sorozábal, "Luisa Fernanda" by Federico Moreno Torroba, "The Revoltosa" by Ruperto Chapí and "The Verbena de la Paloma" by Tomás Bretón.

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