Barcelona's Liceu announces cost-cutting closure
24 January 2012, Barcelona, Spain
Barcelona's Gran Teatro del Liceu
Financial difficulties have forced Barcelona’s Gran Teatro del Liceu to plan eight weeks of closures, from 20 March to 10 April and 5 June to 8 July.
Cuts in subsidies from the Spanish Culture Ministry and Catalonia’s regional government, combined with a fall in corporate sponsorship and ticket sales, have left the company with a running deficit of €3.7 million ($4.8 million).
A total of 27 performances of seven productions will be affected, and temporary staff layoffs are also expected. Unions representing the company’s 395 workers have already begun negotiations with management.
The Liceu’s director general, Joan Francesc Marco, said: ‘It is sad and regrettable to cut performances but we cannot compromise on artistic integrity.’
