Barcelona's Festival Grec draws audience of 137,000

Barcelona's annual celebration of theater, dance, music and circus, the Festival Grec, ended on Wednesday with a total audience figure of 137,000, some 20,000 more than last year.

The rise in the numbers attending the festival is partly explained by the fact that this year there was an extra 11 shows, and new venues, such as the Palau de la Música.

Festival director, Cesc Casadesús, called this year's edition “brilliant,” but hinted that next year's, which will focus on Latin American theater and music, would be "more intimate."

The rise in audience numbers was also noted in the festival's parallel events, such as the Grec Paral·leles program, which attracted some 12,597 spectators by itself.

Grec Paral·leles featured a number of activities alongside the festival's main program, such as the White Bouncy Castle at MNAC or Agustí Fernández's concert at Fundació Joan Miró. 

Casadesús also considered this edition of the festival to be a success thanks to the "dialogue" achieved between local talent and acts from abroad.

"I feel it was good for local companies. Parking Shakespeare, Sixto Paz, Les Antoniettes, T de Teatre…,” he said, adding that the festival also "aims to help artists from here."

First impressions suggest that this year's edition also attracted "new" attendees, which along with Casadesús' "obsession" to bring young people on board, will be a major aim next year.

Festival Grec 2020

For next year's edition, the festival will continue with the concept of going on a transoceanic "voyage" each year, with the next destination being Latin America.

The event plans to work with five major festivals in Latin America, from Bogotà, Santiago de Chile, Buenos Aires, Guanajuato in Mexico, and Rio de Janeiro. 

"We imagine a festival that will speak of magic, of magic realism, of the beyond, of life and death beyond our everyday lives; that will be our starting point," said Casadesús.

Unwilling to give many details about the next edition, the festival director did say that it was "likely" that the opening show of the Avinyó Festival would feature next year.

He also confirmed that the festival will work with the Torroella de Montgrí Festival, and will feature the new production of Lloyd Newson's ‘Enter Achilles,’ by London's Rambert contemporary dance company.