Igualada is set to build a new music auditorium in Parc Central, which will house both the Music Conservatory School and the Municipal Theatre School. Mayor Marc Castells announced the plans today, accompanied by renowned Igualada musician Jordi Savall.
“The goal is to design a high-level facility,” Castells stated. The Igualada City Council has secured funding from the Barcelona Provincial Council to begin selecting five architecture firms. These firms will submit preliminary designs for the auditorium. Castells added, “We work with a vision for the future, just as we did with the university and the Green Belt. We want a top-tier auditorium, with the dimension Igualada deserves.”
According to Castells, the new auditorium will enable Igualada to “have an excellent musical programme with the appropriate dimension for Igualada’s current and future needs.” He noted that the project builds on extensive prior work, including a study by Igualada architect Pere Puig and a functional plan developed with the Auditorium Working Group. These materials will guide the selected architectural studios.
Strategic Location and Cultural Vision
The new auditorium will be located on a plot between Parc Central and Can Busqué. This decision was made based on technical criteria related to mobility and urban planning. This site will complete the Parc Central project and is the only location that meets the requirements of Catalonia's Cultural Facilities Plan. Castells explained that “future facilities are sized at a country level.”
During the announcement, it was also revealed that Jordi Savall will conduct the concert “Music of Millenary Catalonia” on 29 May at the Basilica of Santa Maria. Savall's proposal invites the audience on a 700-year sonic journey, featuring works by Catalan troubadours, pieces from the Llibre Vermell de Montserrat, music from the Royal Chapel of Catalonia in Naples, and laments for the defeat of 1714.
Savall reflected on his connection to the city, saying, “If I am who I am, it is because I lived very important years of my life, from my childhood until I was 17, here in Igualada. Everything I have done has been possible because my youth was spent here.” He expressed gratitude for Igualada's commitment to culture in the current technological context. Savall, who will receive the prestigious Ernst von Siemens Music Prize, often called the Nobel of Music, next month in Munich, described the concert's power: “Music allows us to travel through time and remember what people were like in that era; with this, we enter into a fantastic communion with our history.” He concluded that the music to be heard “is very current because the emotions we feel when playing them are the same as those felt by musicians then.”
Next Steps for the Project
The selection process for the architectural firms is now starting, marking a significant step towards the auditorium's realisation. This project is expected to enhance Igualada's cultural offerings and provide a dedicated space for music and theatre education, aligning with the city's long-term cultural development goals.
