Barcelona wraps up the inaugural season of the Flaix de Tardor theatre festival, held from October 21 to November 15 across six city venues. Over the course of the festival, it attracted 5,356 attendees with an impressive average hall occupancy rate of 89%. Organizers note that such figures are a true success for a debut year.
The initiative for this new theatrical event came from the Temporada Alta team in Girona, supported by the Catalan government and the Barcelona City Council. The main objective of the festival is to expand the presence of international theatre in the Catalan capital and to offer locals and visitors an alternative to the summer Grec festival. This year, the Flaix de Tardor program featured seven productions from Italy, Argentina, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Belgium, Germany, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In total, 18 performances were held, with 6,016 tickets available for sale.
International names and a diversity of genres
The festival’s lineup featured renowned names such as Alain Platel, Toni Servillo, and William Forsythe. Organizers emphasized their focus on a variety of genres and formats to attract the widest possible audience. The program was designed for viewers of all ages and interests, helping the festival become a standout cultural event of the autumn.
At the end of the first season, organizers not only reported high attendance, but also positive feedback from both the public and critics. Many attendees noted the high quality of the productions and performers, as well as an unusually vibrant theater scene in Barcelona for the autumn. Organizers believe these results mark an excellent start for the new cultural project.
A contribution to the city’s theatrical life
Flaix de Tardor was conceived as a way to breathe new life into Barcelona’s theater scene in autumn. Organizers recalled that in the past, major international theater events such as Memorial Xavier Regàs, Festival de Tardor, and Festival Olímpic de les Arts had already taken place in the city at this time of year. The new festival aims to revive this tradition and become a platform for showcasing global theater trends.
This year, performances took place on the stages of Goya, Lliure, Villarroel, La Biblioteca, Mercat de les Flors, and Joan Brossa. Most tickets were bought by residents of Barcelona and its suburbs, accounting for 75% of the audience. The remaining 25% of viewers came from other regions. The average age of attendees was 57.3 years, and women made up 61.28% of the audience.
Most popular productions and future plans
The play Coup fatal, which was staged at Lliure and drew 1,937 spectators, attracted the greatest interest from the public. The second most popular was Double Bill at Mercat de les Flors, attended by 1,361 people. The other performances were also well received, allowing the festival to achieve strong attendance levels.
The organizers have already announced their intention to continue hosting Flaix de Tardor in the future. According to them, the festival not only enriches Barcelona’s cultural scene but also strengthens international connections within the theater community. Looking ahead, Flaix de Tardor could become one of the city’s key autumn traditions, bringing together audiences and professionals from around the world.
