Built in 1879 and opened on 3 September 1880 by Cándido Lara, its founder and from whom it got its name, this theatre, which stands out for its beautiful architecture, is a plural space which can offer all types of theatre performances, ranging from musicals to children’s theatre, as well as concerts.
The main hall of the Lara Theatre with 464 seats is called the Cándido Lara Hall in tribute to its founder.
The Lara, known as "la bombonera de Don Cándido" thanks to its beautiful façade, inspired by the 19th century French style, started out as a bourgeois theatre, with a stately and elitist touch, with highly prestigious performances by the best actors and actresses of that time. On the death of Lara, it was on the verge of being demolished, but finally it remained standing, although it closed in the 1980s with the economic crisis and the decline of the theatre.
In 1994, it was reopened and its programme has been revamped since 2008, offering quality commercial performances.
The theatre has a smaller hall (off-room) known as the Sala Lola Membrives, in tribute to the famous actress, icon of the Lara Theatre for decades, with a capacity of 120 seats, hosting the theatre’s less conventional and most innovative performances.
The Lara Theatre has a dramatised visit, La bombonera de Don Cándido, which goes round this theatre for sixty minutes every Sunday at 4pm, explaining its history in a light hearted and entertaining way by the Los Absurdos Teatro group.
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