Teatro de la Zarzuela

The Teatro de la Zarzuela is a 19th-century theatre in central Madrid dedicated to the performance of zarzuela and related lyric theatre. It was opened in the mid-1800s and remains an active venue for staged musical drama.

Audiences come for staged zarzuelas, operas and concerts presented in the theatre’s historic auditorium, which preserves period architectural and decorative elements. A small museum and archive attached to the theatre documents the history of the genre and stagecraft.

Founded in the mid-19th century as a purpose-built home for zarzuela, the theatre has undergone restorations and changes in programming across its history but has continually been associated with Spanish lyric theatre. It has hosted premieres and revivals of key works in the zarzuela repertoire.

The theatre stands in central Madrid close to major cultural institutions and is within walking distance of the Prado and other central landmarks.

• Specialty and age: Opened in the mid-19th century and specifically founded for performances of zarzuela, it remains a focal venue for that Spanish lyric-dramatic genre.

What to See #

• Main auditorium: The theatre's principal auditorium retains a 19th-century horseshoe plan and period decorative features and is the main performance space for zarzuela and related repertoire.
• Museo de la Zarzuela: A small on-site museum and archive dedicated to the history and art form of zarzuela, which displays scores, posters and stage items related to Spanish lyric theatre.