Teatro Español ('Español Theatre' or 'Spanish Theatre'), formerly Teatro del Príncipe and Corral del Príncipe, is a public theatre administered by the Government of Madrid, Spain. The original location was an open-air theatre in medieval times, where short performances and some theatrical pieces, which became part of famous classical literature in later years, were staged. Its establishment was authorized by a royal decree of Philip II in 1565. The 18th century also marked the definitive establishment of Teatro del Príncipe, which had its own group of followers, the "chorizos," and were in constant struggle with the "polacos," who preferred the performances of the rival Teatro de la Cruz. By this time, Leandro Fernández de Moratín premiered La comedia nueva at Teatro del Príncipe. On 11 July 1802, the theatre was engulfed by fire, and re-opened five years later with the final renovations supervised by architect Juan de Villanueva. The current building, erected in Neoclassical style according to a design by Román Guerrero, was built between 1887 and 1895 under the direction of Natalio Grueso. In front of the theatre is the Plaza de Santa Ana, built after the demolition of a 16th-century Carmelite monastery. The names of famous theatre personalities are engraved on the façade, among them the name of Federico García Lorca.
History
Teatro del Príncipe The former Teatro del Príncipe, or Corral del Príncipe, was a theatre of zarzuelas acquired by the brotherhood Cofradía de la Pasión y de la Soledad on 9 February 1580. By the end of that year, Corral de la Pacheca was acquired by the same brotherhood, which also bought two other buildings from Álava de Ibarra, doctor to Philip II, and another sold by Don Rodrigo de Herrera. It was built from 7 May 1582 with opening on 21 September of the following year with a play by Vázquez and John of Ávila. The theatre consisted of a stage, costume room, bleachers for men, ninety five portable banks, a hall for women, balconies with iron railings or grilles, master channels and roofs covering the stands. The courtyard was paved and an awning made to block the sun, but not the rain. This original structure was maintained until 1735, when a new building, concluded in ten years, was erected by architect Juan Bautista Sacchetti in cooperation with Ventura Rodríguez. At that time its name was changed from Corral del Príncipe to Teatro del Príncipe. Later, the site became a theatre of work which was one of the largest in the country. In 1849, it was transformed into the current Teatro Español, the only theatre in Madrid really similar to an ancient open-air theatre. During the reign of Philip II, the City Council in Madrid established two permanent playhouses or "corrales". One was Corral de la Cruz and the other Teatro del Principe, both housed at Iglesia de San Sebastian. The fervor for theatre plays among the population was so intense that two corral groups were formed, the "chorizos" and "polacos." The followers of the first group were Philip IV and Lope de Vega, and the second the "nobility." The rivalry between them was so intense to the extent of disturbing each other's programmes and closing theatres under the orders of Count Arnada, minister of Charles III. In the 18th century, both theatres were demolished and rebuilt in Italian architectural style with modern facilities such as an expansive stage with mechanized operation and artificial lighting.
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