Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias
Avinguda Autopista del Saler nº 1, 3, 5, 7 - C.P.46013 VALÈNCIA
The Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía is the final segment of Valencia's City of Arts and Sciences, following the opening of L´Hemisfèric in 1998, the Prince Felipe Science Museum and L´Umbracle in 2000 and the opening to the public of L´Oceanogràfic in 2003. The Palau de les Arts completes the artistic side of the firm commitment made by the Generalitat Valenciana to culture in its broadest sense, along with science, technology and nature
As is quite understandable for an establishment born in the 21st century, the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía makes use of the most modern technologies, taking on the image expected of a ground-breaking, state-of-the-art facility, and standing out as a cultural catalyst placing the Valencian Community, with its long-standing musical tradition, in a prominent position amongst the regions of the entire world.
This majestic building, designed by Valencian architect and engineer Santiago Calatrava , signifies that the city of Valencia and the Valencian Community will be endowed with the finest infrastructure available on the international circuits, especially in the areas of opera and large-scale musical performances.
The main building is designed with a dual intention: that of acting as a multi-hall auditorium and also forming an urban landmark which at the same time plays a role in the urban area as a dynamic feature consolidating the setting and becoming a landmark of monumental nature for the city of Valencia.
The Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía has four different halls: the main hall, the master room, the amphitheatre and the chamber theatre. The building also has facilities for teaching and other activities closely connected with the artistic and cultural fields. The Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía quite simply provides the services required to support and promote a people with great artistic and musical tradition.
The four halls of the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía allow productions of all genres to be realised; classic and contemporary art with a wide range of activities which will be used for meeting the Valencian Community's artistic requirements and attracting audiences formerly accustomed to having to travel in order to enjoy top artistic quality.
Through the artistic, organisational and economic synchronisation of the four areas forming the complex¿the Main Hall, the Amphitheatre, Master Room the Chamber Theatre¿a consistent, unitary and innovative programme in the highest artistic category will be provided with a view to providing overall coverage to other artistic and cultural disciplines apart from music and dance.
In the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía , music acts as a point of reference for the performing and plastic arts, literature and cinema. This overall treatment of music and its broadest milieu requires the strictest demands, which in turn demands the presence and collaboration of the best contemporary creative minds and artists in the world today.
The quality and renown of the artists connected with the Palau will doubtlessly encourage and appeal to Valencian society; but very specifically it will call the attention of the whole world as to the dynamic nature of the Valencian Community and its firm commitment to culture.
The programming planned for the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía includes celebration of the Operalia Event , in virtue of the agreement signed in 2001 between the Generalitat Valenciana authority and the Operalia Association, under the management of Spanish tenor Plácido Domingo. This is one of the most prestigious international competitions for opera singers starting out on their career, arranged by the Operalia Association.
Like the other buildings in the city of Arts and Sciences, the Palau will have a didactic approach thanks to an educational programme designed to foster musical culture in order to attract new gener
The intention is to involve schools with visits to the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía and didactic guides containing activities to be done by the students before and after their visit. Another proposal is to involve one of the Palau's halls in the education project of music as a schooling subject, apart from organising guided sessions of opera, ballet and other lyrical expressions to allow performances to be more fully understood.
Buid on 01/03/2008 By Jürgen Rudolf Klein
