Barcelona and Liceu sign deal for €72m seafront opera venue

Project to create second Liceu venue at Port Vell

Barcelona City Council and the Gran Teatro del Liceu have signed a collaboration agreement to move forward with the construction of Liceu Mar, a new cultural venue on the Port Vell seafront. The €72 million project is scheduled for completion in 2031, with the aim of opening during the fourth quarter of that year. The agreement, signed on 16 September 2026, covers a four-year period and is renewable for up to four additional years. It formalises cooperation between the city and the Liceu, an institution jointly funded by the Spanish State (45%), the Generalitat de Catalunya (40%), the Barcelona City Council (10%) and the Diputació de Barcelona (5%).

Construction and design responsibilities defined

The city has authorised Barcelona d'Infraestructures Municipals, S.A. (BIMSA), its municipal infrastructure company, to manage the full construction process, including planning, execution and oversight of the works. Meanwhile, the Port Authority of Barcelona (APB) will be responsible for urbanising and adapting the surrounding public spaces, building on a prior 2024 agreement between the Liceu and APB. The new venue will occupy 9,000 square metres within a 46,000-square-metre reorganisation of Moll d'Espanya, preserving adjacent facilities such as the Aquarium and Maremagnum.

International architecture competition nearing conclusion

The final design will emerge from an international architecture competition currently in its closing phase. Of the 55 initial entries, a 12-member jury chaired by urbanist Martha Thorne has selected five finalist teams:

SANAA and Camps Felip Arquitectura
Batlle Roig and Snøhetta Oslo, designers of the Oslo Opera House
Barozzi Veiga, Maio and Burgos Garrido
Sou Fujimoto, GRAS and Aldayjover
DECAS, b720 and CeC, including David Chipperfield, Fermín Vázquez and Ana Bassat

Each team will receive €25,000 to develop their final proposals, due in September 2026. The winner is expected to be announced in October 2026, when the city plans to publicly display all five models, coinciding with Barcelona’s designation as World Capital of Architecture 2026.

Ongoing governance and cultural vision

A Mixed Monitoring Commission will meet at least twice a year to oversee progress, co-chaired by Valentí Oviedo for the Liceu and Elisenda Rius for the city council. Liceu Mar is intended to house the Petit Liceu, present contemporary opera, host a regular dance season and establish an International Centre for New Opera Creation. The venue aims to strengthen Barcelona’s cultural presence on the waterfront and expand access to performing arts.

This project represents a new chapter in the Liceu’s legacy, extending its mission beyond the historic Rambla venue to embrace innovation and accessibility by the sea.

Reported by metropoliabierta.elespanol.com.