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In this section:
Concerts & ballet
Theatre
Flamenco
Classical Concerts
Auditorio Nacional de Música
Príncipe de Vergara, 146
(metro: Cruz del Rayo)
Tel: 91 337 0410
Home of Spain's national orchestra and one of the top places in Europe to hear classical works by visiting international orchestras. Closed in July and August.
Teatro Monumental
Atocha, 65 (metro: Antón Martín)
Tel: 91-429 8119
Official concert hall for the National Radio and Television Orchestra.
Opera and Zarzuela
Centro Cultural de la Villa
Plaza Colón (metro: Colón)
Tel: 91-575 6080.
Teatro Albéniz
Paz, 11 (metro: Sol)
Tel: 91 531 8311
A varied programme of opera, zarzuela (Spanish light operetta), modern ballet and dance to classical performances.
Teatro Real
Plaza de Isabel II (metro: Opera)
Tel: 91 5160600
With over 100 million euros spent on refurbishments and improvements, the Teatro Real offers a revitalised programme of opera and ballet.
Teatro de la Zarzuela
Jovellanos 4
(metro: Banco de España)
Tel: 91-524 5400
Season runs Sept-July; opera Jan-July, and zarzuela (Spanish operetta) Oct-Dec. Alternates with the National Ballet Company.
Ballet & Modern Dance
Also see Teatro Real, above
Centro Cultural de la Villa
Plaza Colón (metro: Colón)
Tel: 91-5756080.
Wide choice of shows, from ballet to children's theatre.
Teatro Abadía
Fernández de los Ríos, 42
(metro: Moncloa)
Tel: 91-448 1627.
In a former abbey. Eclectic range of dance, musicals and modern plays.
Teatro Español
Príncipe, 25 (Plaza de Santa Ana)
(metro: Sevilla)
Tel: 91-429 0318
Ballet, concerts, opera and theatre. Occasional works in English by touring foreign companies.
Teatro de Madrid
Avenida de la Ilustración s/n
(metro: Barrio del Pilar)
Tel: 91 7301750
Home of the dynamic Nuevo Ballet Flamenco. Also features classical and contemporary dance. In the north of Madrid about 30 minutes from the centre.
Alfil
Calle Pez 10, Malasaña
(metro: Callao)
Tel: 91 521 4541
Specialises in stand-up comedy and avant-garde monologue shows. The International "Teatro de Humor" festival is held here.
Teatro de Cámara
San Cosmé y San Damian 3
(metro: Lavapiés)
Tel: 91 527 0954
Stages classic works ranging from Cervantes to Chekhov.
Círculo de Bellas Artes
Marqués de Casa Riera 2
(metro: Banco de España)
Tel: 91 532 44437
Occasional performances of national and international classics.
Coliseum
Gran Vía 78
(metro: Plaza de España)
Tel: 91 547 6612
Grand-scale international dance shows and musicals.
Teatro de la Comedia
Príncipe, 14 (metro: Sevilla)
Tel: 91-521 4931
High-quality performances of classical plays. Home of the Classical Theatre National Company.
Nuevo Apolo
Plaza Tirso de Molina 1
Tel: 91-369 0637
Stages big international shows such as La Cage aux Folles.
Nuevo Teatro Alcalá
Jorge Juan 62
Tel: 91 426 4779
(metro: Príncipe de Vergara)
Spectacular musicals and dance shows.
Lope de Vega
Gran Vía 57
Tel: 91-758 2060
Big scale musicals.
Independent Theatre
Canto de la Cabra (Goat's Bleat)
San Gregorio 8, Chueca
Tel: 91-310 4222
Experimental theatre performing contemporary international work. Open-air summer patio shows.
Cuarta Pared (Fourth Wall)
Ercilla 17 (metro: Embajadores)
Tel: 91-517 2317
Key fringe theatre with innovative plays and dance productions. Includes a children's theatre.
DT Espacio Escenico
Reina 9, Chueca
Tel: 91-521 71 55
Offers an inventive mix of uncompromising avant-garde productions.
Pradillo
Pradillo 9, Chamartín
Tel: 91 416 9011
(metro: Concha Espina)
Blend of Hispanic plays and dance productions and colourful children's shows including puppetry.
TIS (Teatro Independiente Sur)
Primavera 11, Lavapies
Tel: 91-528 1359
New alternative venue combining dance and theatrical productions.
Triangulo
Zurita 20, Lavapiés(metro: Anton Martín)
Tel: 91-530 67891
Tiny salon providing satirical and surreal productions.
Cinema
There are various ways to get discounts. First is to go on the día del espectador, usually Monday or Wednesday. Also, the first showing of the day is cheaper in some cinemas. Students can get reductions if they show their student ID, and over-65s also get a discount.
Details of where to see films in their original language (VO or Version Originale) are published in the weekly Guía del Ocio and also in daily newspapers such as El Pais and in El Mundo's Friday magazine Metropoli.
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Flamenco
Madrid is Spain's main centre of flamenco, both live and recorded. Year-round performances range from theatrical shows and festivals to traditional small-format shows in tablaos and new-wave flamenco acts playing in rock and jazz venues (be warned: good performances of live flamenco are expensive). Aficionados also gather in peñas - meeting places - and non-profit cultural associations for informal flamenco performances.
Spring and autumn are the main seasons; in spring the Festival de Caja Madrid (first two weeks in March, Teatro Albéniz) and the Ciclo de Primavera (mid-Feb-end March, Centro Cultural de Villa) are highlights. In autumn, there is the Temporada de Baile Español (mid-Sept-mid-Oct).
The Federación de Entidades de Flamenco de Madrid is a regional body through which you can make contact with peñas, Tel: 91-530 1661, fax: 91-524 4498.
Tablaos
Café de Chinitas
Torija, 7 (metro: Santo Domingo)
Tel: 91-559 5135
Expensive but sometimes has excellent shows.
Candela
Olmo, 2 (metro: Antón Martín).
Cave site, established over 15 years "Cante y toque".
Casa Patas
Cañizares, 10
(metro: Antón Martín)
Tel: 91-369 0496
Main city-centre acoustic venue with daily (except Sunday) shows currently emphasising dance.
Centro y Escuela Amor de Dios
Fray Luis de Leon, 13
Tel: 530 1661
Historic dance and music centre and the home of the Federacion de Entidades de Flamenco de Madrid.
Corral de la Morería
Morería, 17
Tel: 91-365 1132
Historic 17th-century corral, excellent guitarists.
La Solea
Cava Baja, 34
Tel: 91-365 5264
Unpaid spontaneous performances in a lively bar.
Tablao de la Pacheca
Juan Ramón Jimenez, 26
Tel: 91-359 2660.
Torres Bermejas
Mesoneros Romanos, 11
Tel: 91-532 3222
Superb singing.