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The Goya Theatre, which was founded in 1914, first started its theatrical activity in 1916 and was later converted into an important theatre in the city of Barcelona. In addition to being used as the headquarters of the Aragonese Centre, the theatre has staged productions in which many famous names in the drama sector, such as Margarita Xirgu, have taken part.



During recent years, many successful plays have been staged at the Goya in Barcelona, including performances by Paco Moran, the Gutiérrez Caba sisters, Núria Espert, Maria Jesús Valdés, Àngels Gonyalons, Pepe Rubianes and many other great professionals.

In 2004, the theatre was forced to close and was on the verge of ceasing its activities, but the Focus Group took charge of bringing it back to life in order to prevent the loss of one of the most emblematic artistic and drama centres in the city.

The reform work executed in the Goya Theatre, which will celebrate its 100th birthday in 2016, is based on building a new theatre within an existant frame.  The theatre has a capacity for 520 people, including both the tiered stalls and the amphitheatre.  The remodelling project has a cost of 3.7 million euros, of which 2.2 million euros have been put up by the local authorities, through the Barcelona Theatre Rehabilitation Consortium, whose members include Generalitat de Catalunya, Barcelona City Council and the Ministry of Culture.  The Deputation of Barcelona and Regional Government of Aragón have also collaborated in the project.

As a consequence of the process of renovating the Theatre, Ecler was offered the chance to install the sound system.  The Spanish firm decided on a combination of DPA series amplifiers and sound boxes made by the Australian company AT Professional, a brand that is distributed by Ecler throughout Europe on an exclusive basis.

The DPA amplifier line has been specially designed for the fixed installation sector, and combines the contrasted SPM technology developed and patented by Ecler, with the possibility of adding processors such as the AMIC digital module, that is configured through USB by a PC, and enables exhaustive processing of the audio signal. This device, which has a powerful DSP driver, allows for shaping of the sound and the simple configuration of systems using a computer. AMIC is the accessory card of the Ecler DPA series amplifier line and the AMICLAB software enables its interactive configuration.

The AMIC system offers complete flexibility in a 2 IN /4 OUT audio processor, where each output is the result of applying the following processes to any of the input signals that are selected: level adjustment, separation of channels, parametric equalising, delay, compressor/limiter and phase muting and reversal.

Last Friday 3 October, the President of Generalitat de Catalunya, José Montilla, re-inaugurated the Goya Theatre, which opened its doors again four years after closing, following a process of thorough rehabilitation and adaptation to the demands of this new century by the Focus Group. The event was attended by many celebrities from Catalan society and many well-known faces from the theatre.

Josep Maria Pou, responsible for the theatre’s artistic management, staged the opening performance of The History Boys by Alan Bennet.  Not only did he direct the play, but he also played a leading role.  The new Goya Theatre bases its programme on an open, balanced repertoire, with particular emphasis on its own productions and collaboration between artists, companies and public and private institutions.

Under the artistic management of Josep Maria Pou, mostly works by famous 20th-century authors are produced and staged, together with modern plays, with the collaboration of famous Catalan, Spanish and international artists.