Just as the gardens of the Teatre Grec are wonderful, the seats in the amphitheater are extremely uncomfortable for spending hours watching a show. The murmur has been around for a long time, but this year, with the succession of heat waves that started at the end of June and lasted throughout July, the lack of comfort in the space that gives the Grec Festival its name has been the daily topic of conversation. At the review press conference held this Thursday, the Culture Councilor, Xavier Marcé, stated that it is a problem that affects the entire city, but he acknowledged that in the case of the Grec “it must be addressed in some way.” Even so, the amphitheater had an average occupancy of 96% and 143,000 spectators attended the festival, 14,000 more than in 2025.
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In the 50th anniversary edition, the Grec was once again a public success, but it should also be noted that more shows were scheduled due to the celebration. With a total of 96 performances, there was a 71% occupancy across the city, but for those directly part of the Grec it was 95%. The director, Leticia Martín, also mentioned that 7,000 people attended the festival for the first time, data that demonstrates the interest of the new generations. For a few years now, information has been collected from ticket buyers to better understand the audience, the director explained.
Additionally, 58% of the scheduled shows were in Catalan and 44.4% were led by women. Figures that the organizers wanted to highlight. While valuing the great local scene, with Mal Pelo, Calixto Bieito, or Angélica Liddell, and the participation of professionals from outside such as Hofesh Shechter, Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker, or Christiane Jatahy; the director also highlighted that the festival has allowed the discovery of figures like Florentina Holzinger, Ntando Cele, Zora Snake, Elephants Laugh, Andrea Peña, or Sung Im Her.
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Precisely, the Grec started in the middle of the first heat wave with L’òpera dels tres rals, directed by Marta Pazos, a premiere that was overshadowed by the stifling atmosphere of the night of June 29. Although Xavier Marcé has not revealed where they will start, he has admitted that they are considering “finding some solution” to the high temperatures affecting the audience, but even more so the professionals of the shows, who must rehearse under full sun with soaring temperatures. It seems that the discomfort of the seats is also on the table, but changing the festival dates has not been considered.
“It is hard to imagine the Grec outside of July,” Marcé expressed, something Martín also ruled out because it would not make sense as the festival is currently planned. The Grec is a space designed for when the school year ends, schedules relax, and the public is on vacation or working at a different pace, making it easier to attend performances. Still, the director said it is an open debate among summer and outdoor festival managers internationally.
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