Harry Stott interviews Francisco Gaudier Fargas and José Garcia Reyes at the Círculo del Liceo.
The Círculo del Liceo is one of the oldest clubs in Spain, founded in 1854 here in Barcelona. If you recognize the name, that’s no doubt because of its relationship with the Teatre Liceu, with which it shares its stunning, historic building on Les Rambles.
While most clubs might confine themselves to social events and dinners, what sets the Círculo apart is its patronage of the arts. That’s a given, seeing as it is so close to the Liceu. Opera and music are some of the main things that they support, as members frequent the Liceu’s excellent opera program and concerts hosted at the club. Also housed within its grandiose 19th century walls is a fine collection of paintings by prestigious Catalan artists, like Ramon Casas and Antoni Tàpies. It’s an invigorating setting—a glimpse into the Catalunya of yesteryear, with all the pomp and regality that you would certainly expect.
To learn a little more about this iconic club, we spoke to its current president, Francisco Gaudier Fargas, and current vice president José Garcia Reyes. Both have been members for over two decades, and are now helping to shape the future of the club.
In a wide ranging conversation, we spoke about the founding of the Círculo, how it has changed over the years and what current members, who number 1060 and count many English speakers among their ranks, can expect from joining up. Both men were proud of this growing expat presence within the club, and urged others to join if they want to enjoy some of the finer things in Barcelona. We also heard about the wonderful patronage of the arts that is such a vital part of the Círculo’s ethos, from its beautiful Wagnerian murals to the rooms filled with priceless paintings by some Catalunya’s most celebrated artists.
If you want to learn more about the Círculo or become a member, you can do so through the website at circulodelliceo.es. Follow the Círculo in social media on Facebook at @circuloliceo and Instagram at @circuloliceo.
The music on this episode is “No Frills Cumbia” by Kevin MacLeod from https://filmmusic.io License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Harry Stott.
Harry Stott is a regular contributor to the Barcelona Metropolitan covering Brexit, local political and social issues as well as the music scene. He recently received a B.A. in music from the University of Leeds, and now writes and produces radio content for a number of organizations in Barcelona and beyond. You can read more of Harry's articles here.