All cultural activities are suspended in view of the alert for torrential rains in Catalonia

BarcelonaThe alert for the risk of torrential rain and a Mediterranean hurricane has forced theaters, cinemas, concert halls, and festivals in about twenty regions to cancel activities scheduled for this Saturday starting at eight in the evening, in accordance with the resolution issued by the Department of the Interior. The affected regions are Alt Empordà, Alt Penedès, Baix Empordà, Baix Llobregat, Barcelonès, Garraf, Garrotxa, Gironès, Maresme, Pla de l'Estany, Selva, Vallès Occidental, Vallès Oriental, Alt Camp, Baix Camp, Baix Penedès, Osona, Ripollès, Tarragonès, and Moianès.

In Barcelona, the resolution affects the city's 150 theater venues and 25 cinemas. Among the performances scheduled for this Saturday afternoon were The Puppy at the National Theatre of Catalonia, Cheerful Pessimism at the Sala Beckett, The Omelette at the Teatre Poliorama, Mamma mia at the Tívoli, and The Threepenny Opera,Making 'La belle Hélène' and Bouvetøya at the Teatre Lliure. This theater was also celebrating its 50th-anniversary party this Saturday evening, which it has had to cancel. Performances at venues such as the Mercat de les Flors, the four Focus theaters—Goya, Romea, Condal, and Villarroel—and the Biblioteca de Catalunya have also been affected by the resolution. Most theaters will offer the public the option to attend an alternative performance or to have their ticket money refunded.

"Saturday is the day of the week with the most performances. The impact is huge," states the president of the Association of Theater Companies of Catalonia (Adetca), Isabel Vidal, who laments that culture "is the first to close." The situation this Saturday is reminiscent of the cultural closures and restrictions that occurred during the pandemic. "If the resolution aims to avoid citizen mobility, we do not understand why commercial activity is maintained while cultural activity is cancelled. There are more people in a shopping mall than in all the independent theaters in Barcelona combined," says Vidal. For this reason, Adetca is in talks with the Department of Culture. "The information is serious; we have no choice but to follow the government's lead and suspend activities. But we must find formulas so that it affects the sector as little as possible," says Vidal.

Concerts and festivals, suspended

The Gran Teatre del Liceu has cancelled the performance of Aida and the Palau de la Música has had to cancel the Dire Straits Tribute by Sultans of Swing. At L'Auditori, the activities of the Toca Festa day were maintained until six o'clock and the performance The Colors of Metal, but both the OBC's Orchestra Tasting on Saturday afternoon and the one on Sunday morning have been cancelled. Likewise, the Music Museum will remain closed until Sunday at two in the afternoon. Among the concerts scheduled for this Saturday afternoon that have been suspended are the performances by Placebo at the Sant Jordi Club and Hombres G at the Palau Sant Jordi.

Outdoor proposals have also been cancelled, such as the circus show The Neighbor on the Balcony, which was to be performed at the Plaça de Lluís Millet, right in front of the Palau de la Música. The performance—for which a new date will be sought—was taking place outdoors and was part of the Interrupcions cycle promoted by La Central del Circ.

The Petits Camaleons festival in Sant Cugat del Vallès has suspended its Saturday and Sunday concerts due to the risk of flooding. Groups such as Els Pets, La Ludwig Band, Els Amics de les Arts, and Sidonie were scheduled to perform there. The activities of the La Palanca festival in Esparreguera have also been cancelled.