Teatro Jovellanos

Teatro Jovellanos is Gijón’s main stage: a building more than a century old on Paseo de Begoña, with theatre, music, dance, opera and family shows all year round. Every November it also becomes the heart of the city’s international film festival. Whether you come for a performance or simply walk past, it’s one of the landmarks of the city centre.

Where it is

The theatre takes up a block on Paseo de Begoña, the tree-lined boulevard linking the town hall area with the La Arena district, and the usual stage for the summer Begoña festivities. San Lorenzo beach is a few minutes away on foot, and the surrounding streets are full of life, terraces and sidrerías (cider houses). If you want to eat before or after the show — remember that dinner in Spain rarely starts before 21:00 — see our guide to where to eat in Gijón.

History: from the Dindurra to the Jovellanos

There’s a bit of a twist here, because Gijón has had two Teatro Jovellanos:

• The first Jovellanos opened in the mid-19th century elsewhere in the centre, on the site now occupied by the Jovellanos Public Library. It disappeared in 1934.
• Today’s building opened in 1899 as the Teatro Dindurra, named after its founder, Manuel Sánchez Dindurra. It was designed by the architect Mariano Marín Magallón, who also designed the two other buildings on the block.
• A bombing raid during the Spanish Civil War reduced it to ruins in 1937. It was rebuilt between 1938 and 1942 and reopened as Teatro Jovellanos, honouring Gaspar Melchor de Jovellanos, the Enlightenment statesman born in Gijón (you can visit his birthplace museum in Cimavilla).
• It was refurbished in 1995 and again in 2010, with work on the stalls and the stage house.

A nice detail: the old café that grew up alongside the theatre, and shares the Dindurra name, still operates in the same building.

What’s on

The Jovellanos is publicly owned and runs a year-round programme, which is unusual for a city of Gijón’s size. Over a season you’ll typically find:

• Theatre: Spanish touring productions, Asturian companies and premieres (most drama is in Spanish).
• Music: singer-songwriters, pop and rock in seated format, and classical concerts.
• Dance and opera, plus occasional zarzuela (Spanish light opera).
• Family shows, especially during school holidays.
• Festivals: it’s the main venue of the Gijón International Film Festival (FICX), usually in November, and hosts events from other city festivals. See the full calendar on our festivals page.

It seats around a thousand people across the stalls and circles; exact figures vary depending on the source.

Buying tickets

The theatre is run by Gijón City Council, so stick to the official channels: the theatre’s page on gijon.es, where the programme and booking link are published, and the theatre’s own box office. We couldn’t verify box office hours or the online ticketing platform today, so check them there before you go. Avoid resellers: popular shows do sell out, but unofficial resale offers no guarantees.

Tip: for concerts, circle seats often give better value; for spoken theatre the stalls are worth it so you don’t miss any nuance.

Practical tips

• Arrive early: start times are strict, and latecomers may have to wait for an interval to go in.
• Getting there: you’re in the centre, so walking or the city bus is easiest. If you’re driving, read our guide to parking in Gijón — street parking in the centre is hard to find.
• Rainy-day plan: an afternoon show is a good fallback when the weather turns. More ideas in rainy day in Gijón.
• After the show: Begoña, La Arena and the centre stay lively late into the night. Find out where to go in Gijón nightlife.

Nearby

A short walk away are San Lorenzo beach and the promenade, Plaza Mayor and the old quarter of Cimavilla. For the rest of the city’s cultural venues, see our guide to museums in Gijón.