The book Gestión de los Grandes Teatros Iberoamericanos (‘Management of Grand Theatres in Ibero-America’), presented at Auditorio Nacional Adela Reta del Sodre (Uruguay), explores best practices, strategies, and stories behind 14 of the top theatres in Ibero-America which serve as examples of modern and innovative management. The volume, featuring colour photographs and a profile of each theatre, will be available online for free, allowing readers to explore spaces such as Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires, Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona, and Teatro Amazonas in Manaus, among others.

The Ibero-American General Secretariat (SEGIB), Sodre, and Ópera Latinoamérica (OLA) presented the book Gestión de los Grandes Teatros Iberoamericanos. Compiled by Gonzalo Halty and Facundo de Almeida, this volume explores best practices, strategies, and stories behind the 14 major theatres of the region, exemplary in terms of modern and innovative management.

During the presentation, Gonzalo Halty emphasised that “theatres promote dialogue between artist and audience, they are dynamic facilities and living services that require constant care.” He underscored the publication’s significance, stating that “never before has a publication of this scope been achieved through such inter-institutional coordination,” and that the book presents “models of modern, innovative, and risk-taking management, designed to sustain and project high-quality artistic actions for a demanding citizenship.”

Photo: Santiago Barreiro / Sodre

Through articles, case studies, and strategic analyses, the book provides models and ideas to drive improvements, modernisations, or transformations in theatres. It does so by analysing the leading theatres of Ibero-America: Teatro del Bicentenario (San Juan), Teatro Colón (Buenos Aires), Teatro Amazonas (Manaus), Teatro Municipal (São Paulo), Teatro Municipal de Santiago (Santiago de Chile), Teatro Mayor Julio Mario Santo Domingo (Bogotá), Teatro Sánchez Aguilar (Guayaquil), Gran Teatre del Liceu (Barcelona), Teatro Real (Madrid), Palacio de Bellas Artes (Mexico City), Teatro Nacional de Perú (Lima), Teatro Nacional de São Carlos (Lisbon), Teatro Solís (Montevideo), and Auditorio Nacional Adela Reta del Sodre (Montevideo).

The event also featured video contributions from Ernesto Ottone, UNESCO’s Assistant Director-General for Culture, and Enrique Vargas, Director of SEGIB’s Ibero-American Cultural Space. Ottone expressed that “this publication will become a valuable reference tool for professionals and theatre enthusiasts, promoting cultural diversity.” Vargas, on his part, celebrated the authors’ work and announced SEGIB’s support for future editions of the book.

Alejandra Martí, Executive Director of OLA, highlighted the book’s importance, noting that “this book reflects 18 years of community work, sharing best practices and building trust relationships. It is a gift for current and future generations.”

Marcos Acle Mautone, Cooperation Manager for Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay at SEGIB, commented that “this publication meets a need and offers an opportunity to visualise what lies behind each artistic production in theatres.” Meanwhile, Claudio Aguilar, Vice President of Sodre, mentioned that “this book will be an enormous theoretical and practical contribution for cultural managers, theatre directors, and scholars, addressing aspects from legal and organisational matters to environmental policies and accessibility.”

Photo: Santiago Barreiro / Sodre

Mariana Wainstein, National Director of Culture, concluded the speeches by stating that “this book is a tool to envision the future (…) I commit to ensuring that this valuable resource reaches every corner of the country, especially in rural areas where opportunities for education and culture are more limited.”

The event concluded with an emotional performance by the National Youth and Children’s Choir of Sodre, conducted by Victor Mederos.

Photo: Santiago Barreiro / Sodre

The book will be freely available digitally and accessible via the websites of the participating theatres. Additionally, copies will be donated to specialised libraries, including Udelar, Claeh, Ucudal, EMAD, among others.

• Download the book for free here