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Theatre in Seville

19 Sunday Nov 2023

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Calling all thespians, theatre-goers, and historians alike! Seville is a cultural hotspot in Spain as well as a home to a rich theatre history. To understand the local significance of Seville on Spanish theatre, let’s first examine the birth of theatre in Spain as a whole. 

Early theatre in Spain emerged as an extension of the church. Theatrical performances were produced by the church as a means of preaching to the masses. It was effective in many ways, especially as a means to preach the Bible to those who could not read it. These church dramas were called auto sacramentales and were popular especially in Madrid, which was the primary location of theatre in Spain in the 1500s. 

However, as Spain became a more prominent and powerful country in Europe, the arts began to flourish. The 1500s-1600s marked a time period known as the “Spanish Golden Age” for theatre. This is where the art of theatre began to spread more around Spain, encouraging more secular art expressions. 

Juan de la Cueva, born in Seville in 1550, was an important part of this movement as well as the Baroque period of the arts. He was a writer who wrote many plays and poems. Many of his plays were based loosely on historical accounts and famous legends and stories. This was a significant turn away from the classical form of playwriting and influenced other playwrights in Spain. One such playwright, Lope de Vega, was arguably the most significant playwright of the Golden Age of theatre in Spain. Although he was from Madrid, he not only had strong personal ties to Seville, but also has one of the most famous theatres in Seville named after him!

You may have heard of some famous theatrical titles with Seville in the name before! If you’re a music enthusiast, maybe you’ve seen the famous Italian opera The Barber of Seville. Or, for the theatre historians, maybe you’ve read the Golden Age Spanish play The Trickster of Seville, which focuses on the fictional character of Don Juan, famous in Spanish culture. It’s important to note that neither of these famous titles have origins in Seville. The opera is Italian, and based on a French comedy,  and the play was written by Tirso de Molina, from Madrid. Furthermore, many theatrical works that were not conceived in Seville are set there. One famous example of this is the Opera, Carmen which is of French origin. In fact, over 100 operas are set in Seville! So why are these famous theatrical works set in a city that the composers/playwrights are not from and have little connection to? 

Many writers and composers were inspired by the beauty and romanticism of Seville. Because Seville emerged as such an iconic location for the arts, many visiting artists fell in love with the city and Seville became the natural backdrop to many comedies, tragedies, romances, and operas alike. 

Seville is now home to countless theatres and music halls. If you’re ready to explore some of Spain’s best theatre with a rich history, look no further than right here in Seville!

The Royal Alcazar of Seville

19 Sunday Nov 2023

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The Royal Alcazar of Seville is a structure of complex palaces created by numerous monarchs and was declared a world heritage site by UNESCO in 1987. The Royal Alcazar is Europe’s oldest palace in use and the structure itself originates back to the 11th century due to Muslim authorities deciding to build a fortress to guarantee security for Seville. Specifically, it was designed to protect the plaza on the banks of the Guadalquivir river and accommodate the Muslim king’s residence while acting as the office for the state administration.

Despite being a one thousand year old architecture of Seville, the structure was kept well preserved due to each of the monarchs who ruled the palace upholding great admiration for it and contributing to the design. The Royal Alcazar encompasses vestiges from all ages from the Caliphate of Cordova to the modern day. 

With the Royal Alcazar being made up of diverse palaces and gardens that were designed during different historical periods, the structure offers a wide range of styles and combinations of different elements of Muslim, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, and Romantic art.

When Ferdinand III, King of Castile, conquered Seville in 1248 he had only 4 years to admire the structure before dying within its walls. His successor, Alfonso X, also shared admiration for the Muslim architecture and decided to build his own palace inside the Alcazar of Seville using the Gothic art style.

During the second half of the 14th century, Peter I, King of Castile, had a cultural and religious tolerance towards the Muslim and Jewish religion and heavily admired the Islamic culture. Because of this tolerance, he utilized Arab artisans to build a new palace between 1364 and 1366 which is now known as the Palace of King Peter I. This palace was converted into the regular residence of the Kings of Castile and was later occupied by the Kings of Spain.

Another room of importance inside the Alcazar of Seville was the House of Trade which was a room that became the meeting point for the nobility that participated in hunts organized by the Spanish Kings. In the year 1504, it served a purpose to control trade with the Americas and became the center of the first global empire in the history of mankind. It controlled and monopolized American goods coming into the Sevillian port and was the place of creating laws that regulated trade.

The gardens of the Royal Alcazar were created during Muslim rule and every detail was taken into account to stimulate the senses with a variety of herbs and flowers as well as trees ordered in geometric patterns. The Muslim constructed the garden similar to an oasis tied with the ideals of the Koran that had views on a garden paradise. However, after the Christian Conquest for the reign of Emperor Charles V, the ancient Muslim gardens changed from their original layout to adapt to the changing tastes of the royal court over the large period of time the palace was occupied. 

Whether you’re a student or professor, taking a tour of the Royal Alcazar is an excellent way to gain an understanding of the beautiful structures created by a vast majority of people with different backgrounds and art styles. Also, with it being a world heritage site, it’s a must thing to do if you ever find yourself in Seville. For more information, please check out the Further Information page.