Theatre will re-open in April

THE Teatro Principal in Palma, closed since 2001, will reopen its doors on April 25 2007, with a concert conducted by the Russian Maestro Mstislav Leopoldovich Rostropovich. The concert will be performed by the Luigi Cherubini Youth Orchestra.
This was announced yesterday by the Council of Majorca's head of Culture, Dolça Mulet, at a press conference.
Mulet talked about the refurbishment of the theatre, which started in January 2005 (until then they did not have the necessary permits) and which has cost some 21 million euros. Accompanied by the theatre's management, technical and artistic teams, Mulet said that the Royal Family had been invited to the inauguration, although at present she could not confirm whether they would be present. The opening concert will cost approximately 300'000 euros, some 10 percent of the cost of the total programme for 2007.
Mulet could not hide her excitement at the prospect of Rostroprovich conducting the opening concert. He last performed in Majorca in August 1995 when he closed the 34th International Music Festival of Pollensa, with a concert attended by Queen Sofia. Mulet said that the refurbishment will restore the theatre back to the style it had in the 1930s when it had its last refurbishment, although this time it has had its technology totally renewed, and this will allow it to host theatrical and musical shows appropriate to a theatre with 950 seats. She declined to discuss the contents of the programme for 2007 as the board of the theatre has not seen it yet.
Although the director of the arts area of the Teatro Principal Foundation said that there would be many local productions.
Technical director José Luis Alonso said that the stage had been made larger and the acoustics improved.