This section contains the programs of the different performances and public or private acts that took place in the theatre. Its nature is very diverse, including from seasons of concerts, through various social events, series of lyrical recitals, several seasons of ballet and opera, to the programs of the Francesc Viñas International Singing Competition.
Its historical value spans beyond the musical and artistic fact. Some of the programs were made with remarkable typographic and artistic care. Before 1936, the programs of the opera seasons used to reproduce illustrations by leading artists from the country, such as Emili Grau Sala or Jaume Pahissa. Among the many unique events, the programs of the Wagner Festivals of 1913, the performances of the Ballets Russes of Serge Diaghilev, or the coming of the company of Bayreuth in 1954 must be mentioned.
The programs replaced the librettos, from the moment it stopped making sense to follow the opera during the performances in the room in the dark. It is in this moment when the program became a first-class gallery to follow the most important singers and directors of orchestra passing through the G T. del Liceu during the 20th century.
The series of symphonic concerts are very important: the Lent concerts, organized by the theatre, or the concerts of the Orchestra Pau Casals. Thanks to its activity, great composers and directors passed through the theatre: I. Stravinsky, R. Strauss, M. de Falla, F. Weingartner, among many others. The programs of unique performances are also noteworthy, such as the premiere of L’Atlàntida by M. de Falla, directed by E. Toldrà, the premieres of Catalan operas –R. Lamote de Grignon, Montsalvatge, Altisent, Balada, Soler, Mestres-Quadreny, Guinjoan, among others–, or the Valencian Matilde Salvador.
We highlight the programs and librettos that, promoted by the Wagnerian Association, reproduced, in the first decades of the 20th century, the text sung in Catalan not only of works by Wagner, but by other European composers.
The programs, which have been digitized in its totality, are more than a chronicle of musical activity. They reflect the social and economic life of the country, through ads, music reviews and analysis aimed at the public. For a few years, a section of the programs also included the daily microhistory of the theatre, it was a collection of anecdotes reporting events from the last performance. It is reproduced, in this case, the copy of the program of the first performance of a play –which was usually the same every day–, and then there have been added only the pages of “Anecdotes”, that were made from scratch at each performance.
There have been included, as long as they are preserved, the loose sheets indicating changes in a specific performance. The collections will increase as soon as the data processing is completed.
