Cervantes Theatre (Teatro Cervantes) Tours and Activities

Designed by Málaga’s civic architect Gerónimo Cuervo in the late 19th century, the Cervantes Theatre (Teatro Cervantes) was built in imposing Neo-classical style to replace an earlier theater destroyed by fire. Its exotic interior was created by local artists Antonio Muñoz and Bernardo Ferrándiz and the theater opened in 1870 with a performance of Rossini’s opera William Tell. However, by the 1950s, the building was largely decaying and it remained in a poor state until 1984, when it was bought by the city council and restoration began.

Reopened in 1987, the interior of the Cervantes is still true to its original design, with an ornate painted ceiling and gilded detailing on the horseshoe-shaped boxes and stalls. It has a seating capacity of 1,104 and is the city’s cultural heartbeat for opera, ballet, rock and orchestral concerts, big names in jazz and flamenco performances. Subtitles in English accompany some productions. The Málaga Spanish Film Festival is held here every March.

The Cervantes Theatre is included on walking tours of Picasso’s Málaga, along with his birthplace and the fabled Picasso Museum.