In 2026, The Teatre Lliure in Barcelona will be celebrating 25 years of Catalan art, culture, and performance in Montjuïc, and 50 years as an institution. Beyond its role as a world-class venue, it operates as a dynamic cooperative society whose original Catalan productions have achieved global acclaim.
Housed in the historic Palau de l’Agricultura in Montjuïc, the theatre’s stunning facade dates back to 1929. But on the inside, it’s equipped with the height of modern technology: its 720-seat main hall, named after co-founder and scenographer Fabià Puigserver, features a customized movable floor.
This hall is the soul of the entire space, designed to melt away traditional boundaries between performers and spectators. Gala provided the foundational technology that allows the venue to adapt to the creative demands of every production, designing an elaborate stage lift system utilizing 63 automated telescopic platforms of 2.7m x 2.7m that can be adjusted with millimeter precision to different heights.
The theatre can seamlessly transition between arena, thrust, traverse, and end-stage configurations, building an entirely new universe for each event. Wagons housing three rows of five height-adjustable seats can be attached to each telescopic platform, with the ability to rotate in any direction. A modular “fourth wall” cranks the intimacy all the way up. When its arches are lowered, it brings the audience as close as humanly possible to the scenes unfolding in front of them, creating new configurations for stage and audience engagement.
The main stage’s fly tower is powered by one of our legacy technologies: the hydraulically assisted Vertilift. While it’s no longer part of our solutions catalog, systems that were installed more than 25 years ago are still proudly in operation today.
Since the installation was completed, this space has hosted the recording of a New Year’s Eve TV program, a Pronovias fashion show, and a car brand event, as well as configurations of different performances such as Uncle Vanya or Il mondo de la luna. Modern-day events and time-honoured works are equally well-served within these four walls.
Our partners at Chemtrol División Teatro S.A. took care of the installation of the platforms, and our partner Caire from France handled the installation for the Vertilft system. None of this would have been possible without their expertise and support.
As Director of Maintenance at the Teatre Lliure, Mr. José Maria Galindo stands at the heart of the venue’s technical knowledge and upkeep, ensuring that every event honors the theatre’s legacy.
The Teatre Lliure exists at the crossroads of history and contemporary theatre. Here, they coexist effortlessly: every space is shaped around the actor, the word, and the audience, making it a living expression of theatre as a deeply human experience that transcends time and space.
