Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Asyouwouldexpectfromacityofitssize,Barcelonahasabusyartsandculturecalen-
dar-therewillalwaysbesomethingworthcatching,whetherit'sacontemporarydance
performance,cabaretshowornightattheopera.Classicalandcontemporarymusic,in
particular, gets an airing in some stunning auditoriums, and while local theatre is less
accessible for non-Catalan or -Spanish speakers, many cinemas at least show films in
their original language. Local performers have always steered away from the classics
and gone for the innovative, so the city boasts a long tradition of street and perform-
anceart,rightdowntothehumanstatuesplyingtheirtradeontheRamblas.Barcelona
excelsinthevisualarts,too-fromtraditionalexhibitionsofpaintingstocontemporary
photographyorinstallationworks-anddozensofartscentresandgalleriesputonvar-
ied shows throughout the year.
ESSENTIALS
Tickets and information
A useful first stop for tickets and information is the Palau de la
Virreina, Ramblas 99 (daily 10am-8.30pm; 933 161 000; Liceu). Ticketmaster ( 902
150 025,
ticketmaster.es
), BCN Shop ( 932 853 832,
bcnshop.barcelonaturisme.com
)
and TelEntrada ( 902 101 212,
telentrada.com
)
are the main advance booking agencies
for music, theatre, cinema and exhibition tickets.
What's on
The city council's Institute of Culture website,
bcn.cat/cultura
,
is invaluable -
itcoverseveryaspectofartandcultureinthecity,withlinkstodailyupdatedartsstoriesand
a comprehensive calendar of events. Otherwise, the best listings magazines are the weekly
Guía del Ocio
(
guiadelociobcn.com
)
and
Time Out Barcelona
(
timeout.cat
)
, online or
from any newspaper stand.
CLASSICAL, CONTEMPORARY AND OPERA
MostofBarcelona's
classical
musicconcertstakeplaceinthe
modernista
PalaudelaMúsica
Catalana or at the purpose-built, contemporary L'Auditori, while
opera
is performed at its
traditional home, the Gran Teatre del Liceu on the Ramblas. Many of the city's churches, in-
cluding the cathedral and Santa María del Mar, also host concerts and recitals, while other
interesting venues holding concerts include the historic Saló del Tinell in the Ajuntament,
Palau Robert, FNAC Triangle at Plaça de Catalunya, Caixa Forum, the Fundació Joan Miró
and CCCB (these last two particularly for
contemporary
music). Notable
festivals
include
the Festival de Barcelona Grec (July) and the Festa de la Música (June 21), while there are
free concerts in Barcelona's parks each summer, the so-called Música als Parcs.
