Focus reaches 40 years in a golden moment. Last season, the four theaters of the Focus Group, the Romea, the Condal, La Villarroel and the Goya, reached a record figure in attendance (534,000 spectators) and revenue (14.7 million euros). 68 shows were presented there, with 1,402 performances held. "There have already been five years of good fortune and on this journey, from record to record, today we have added a new challenge that forces us not to lose our stride, maintain the pace and reach next August with the satisfaction of a job well done," said the group's president, Daniel Martínez, this Friday. "In moments of peak social and political discontent, culture and, especially, theater, offers us moments of emotional rationality and intelligent entertainment, which allow us to take a breath to endure all this series of existential crises that make up our day-to-day life," added Martínez.

After the success of the musical Blood brothersThe Condal Theatre in Barcelona will host the comedy from March 19th A brilliant idea, by French author Sébastien Castro, starring Lluís Villanueva, Xavi Mira, Anna Azcona and Susanna Garachana (who also adapted the play), and directed by Xavier Ricart. "I'm especially excited to present A brilliant idea!"Because it contains two elements that make it a very interesting proposition. On the one hand, it's a company with professionals who are true experts in the genre and who have proven they have a firm grasp on the audience. On the other hand, this is a text that can already be considered a comedy classic; it has already triumphed in France and now arrives at the Condal stage," says Daniel Anglès, artistic director of the Teatre Condal, where the play will run until April 19. Xavier Ricart echoes Daniel Susanna Garachana's words regarding his adaptation work. He affirms that he didn't make a mistake with the casting and says he is "happy with the effort" they made, and he is grateful that the Teatre Condal allowed them to work in their space from day one. "It's not easy to do comedy; it requires surrounding yourself with a good team." "The comedy's only message is that people can come and enjoy themselves, have a good time, and forget about what's happening outside," Ricart explains.

Daniel Martínez, the founder of the Focus Group, received the Gold Medal for Cultural Merit from the Barcelona City Council on Monday. At a ceremony held in the Saló de Cent, the city's mayor, Jaume Collboni, described Martínez as "a determined and visionary businessman with extraordinary leadership skills." Also in attendance were the Minister of Culture, Sònia Hernández Almodóvar; the Secretary of State for Culture, Jordi Martí; and the Councilor for Culture and Creative Industries, Xavier Marcé. Accompanied by his family and various figures from the world of theater, Martínez expressed his gratitude for the medal and the words dedicated to him by actor and director Josep Maria Pou in his eulogy. According to Collboni, "the name of Daniel Martínez is now forever linked to the contemporary history of Catalan and Barcelonan culture." "Today, Barcelona's public and private theaters are a winning combination. A cultural partnership that has brought more than three million theatergoers to the city annually. And that's thanks to a powerful business sector, capable of investing and taking risks, always keeping the audience's desires in mind. This has been the vision and purpose of the Focus Group."

As if it were a major opening night in Catalan theater, some of the biggest names in the scene gathered this Monday evening in a warehouse in Poblenou, at the headquarters of Grup Focus. Seated in a temporary auditorium were renowned directors, playwrights, and actors—such as Lluís Homar, Josep Maria Pou, Jordi Bosch, Guillem Clua, Marta Buchaca, José María Mestres, Joel Juan, Àlex Casanovas, and Pol López—representatives from the business world—the president of PIMEC, Antonio Cañete; the vice president of Fomento, Mar Alarcón; as well as theater managers like Maria José Balañá, Salvador Sunyer, and Toni Albaladejo—and their main institutional representatives—the mayor of Barcelona, ​​Jaume Collboni; the Minister of Culture, Sònia Hernández; and the president, Salvador Illa, who sent his apologies. The event served to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the founding of Grup Focus, the country's leading performing arts company and one of the most important in Spain, but also to unveil its next business move. Focus's expansion involves the opening, in September 2028, of an integrated center for theatrical production and exhibition, which will accommodate up to 600 students at the higher school of performing arts (artists, technicians, and managers) and up to 500 spectators at the new Genesis Theatre.