(Almost) all you need to know about: the Festival Grec
Discover the past and present of one of Barcelona's biggest theatre, dance and music events, the Festival Grec.
FROM SMALL BEGINNINGS TO INTERNATIONAL ACCLAIM
• The Teatre Grec, from which the festival takes its name, was the sole venue during the festival in its humble beginnings 36 years ago. The Greek-style amphitheatre on the slopes of Montjuïc was built in 1929 for the Exposició Internacional, taking inspiration from the theatre in Epidaurus.
• In 1976, a group of actors organised a festival at the Teatre Grec in the hope of revitalising the city’s drama scene.
• The festival has since grown into a major event on the European performing arts calendar, spilling over into many venues across the city. Amongst other smaller theatres and cultural spaces throughout Barcelona, the most important venues include the Teatre Lliure, Mercat de les Flors, Teatre Nacional de Catalunya, L’Auditori and, of course, the Teatre Grec.
• In an attempt to further internationalise the fast-growing event, collaborations with theatre companies from countries such as UK, Italy, Japan and France have put the Grec Festival on a global stage.
• The festival features more than just drama these days. Music, dance and circus performances are also hosted, providing a stage for some of the world’s biggest names including in recent years Miles Davis, The Cranberries, Elvis Costello, Bob Dylan and Santana, amongst many others.
WHAT’S ON THIS YEAR
- British singer-songwriter Katie Melua will be performing on July 25th at the Teatre Grec. Admission starts at €25.
- At the Teatre Lliure, from July 25th to 28th, one of the last century’s greatest Russian novels, The Master and Margarita (pictured) is turned into a dramatic, English-language play. Ticket prices start at €32.
- On July 7th and 8th, Robyn Orlin presents Walking next to our shoes... intoxicated by strawberries and cream... we enter continents without knocking…, an English/Zulu production featuring dance, theatre and music.
GREC 2012 FACTS & FIGURES
• 2012 marks the 36th edition of the Grec festival, and it’s being directed for the first time by Ramon Simó. The festival runs from Saturday 30th June (public inauguration event) to Tuesday 31st July.
• Ramon Simó is showing off this year’s performances to their fullest by introducing digital art and the latest technologies, many of which will be interactive.
• There are 75 shows in a programme that includes a total of 300 performances, including various world premieres.
1,894: the number of people the Teatre Grec (below) was built to hold in 1929.
110,320: the number of spectators who attended last year’s Festival Grec. Ticket sales, together with sponsorships and public grants, are the festival’s main sources of income.
For more information on dates, perfomances and ticket sales, go to the Grec’s official website.