From the south-central part of Chile, 15 years ago Maule Regional Theatre has carried out the mission of presenting the performing arts of excellence to the local audiences. It is defined as “a space for everyone” and since the end of 2020 it has been part of Ópera Latinoamérica.

On September 5th, 2005, thanks to the efforts and regional commitment to culture and the arts, Maule Regional Theatre (TRM) was inaugurated. The new stage was located on the same land where the Municipal Theatre of Talca had been, inaugurated in 1875 and demolished in 1968 due to the deterioration of the building by the 1960 earthquake.

With new vigor, for 15 years TRM has been working for the development of art and culture through a program that includes all disciplines of the performing arts, from classical to modern. At the end of 2020, the Talquino theatre joined OLA to share its experiences and, together with the other theatres in the network, continue promoting lyrical activity and the arts of classical performance in Latin America.

Victoria Flores, Executive Secretary, leads the management of Maule Regional Theater, a space that has two resident bodies, the Maule Classical Orchestra and the Golden Big Band.

Victoria Flores, Executive Secretary TRM

Why did you decide to be part of OLA?

We have known OLA’s work for several years, we see how the network has grown and how, through it, we can access information, good practices, reflections and contacts on common themes that have to do with the management of cultural infrastructures , lyrical productions and with the work of the artists.

After 15 years of continuous work, TRM has also been growing and making its operations more complex in search of decentralization and we see in OLA an opportunity to also share our work. In addition, the current context and the accelerated digitization of content; the increase in relevant information about the sector, changes in artistic consumption and the ease of encounters with other cultural agents, encouraged us to join the network in 2020 and be part of the conversations that allow us to improve our management.

How important is it to be connected with other theaters in the region?

Maule Regional Theatre is an important theatre in the country, the first with the characteristics of a regional one. In this sense, it has a stable artistic bodies such as the Orquesta Clásica del Maule and develops an annual operatic production that includes a strong regional component. In addition, it has been highlighted by specialized critics in the country.

We are part of a national network of theatres and we strongly believe in collaborative work and networking, which allows us to grow and improve the conditions of all those involved. We value OLA’s independence and its constant concern for the growth of the sector.

What is the mission of the performing arts in Latin America?

The performing arts fulfill the fundamental role of contributing to the preservation, protection and promotion of the cultural heritage, generating cohesion, criticism and protection of the wealth of the representative heritage of each territory in which it is inserted. They allow the growth of talent, innovation and experimentation of artists, in addition to being a fundamental sector of the economy for the growth of countries and their harmonious development.

During the pandemic, the performing arts have migrated from the stage to the screen. How has your experience been?

The digitization of artistic content opened up a world of different, almost unexplored possibilities for cultural spaces immersed in a complex task, from the economic and the technical. From there, we live a digital acceleration that urged us to a more intimate and personalized relationship and culture with a new and unknown audience, a spectator who took our work to the privacy of their home, through a mobile device, a tablet or computer.

This crisis allowed us to connect in a new way with artists, managers and creators from different parts of the Maule Region, the country and the world. Borders were no longer an impediment and technology allowed us to create and share a new and unlimited common scenario.

We were further relieved of the importance of improving the conditions of artists, the fragility of cultural spaces and the growing needs of an indispensable sector for society.

More info on Maule Regional Theatre HERE