The Costa Brava’s music and theatre Festival of Porta Ferrada ends being an almost sold-out event
The 51st edition of the International Festival of Porta Ferrada, located in the Costa Brava town of Sant Feliu de Guíxols, closed its doors with an average attendance of 91%. The event contained 21 music, theatre and dance performances, which had a total attendance of 11,105 people, 10,296 who paid for tickets and 890 going to the free events on offer. 6 shows were complete sell-outs: 5 of the 10 in the Espai Port (the main stage of the festival), and the ‘Concerts per a nadons’ (Concerts for babies). Albert Mallol, Artistic Director of the Porta Ferrada festival, told the CNA that it is important try to find new venues to be added to the iconic locations that already exist in order to increase the amount of musical and theatre performances.
Sant Feliu de Guíxols (ACN).- This year’s edition of the International Festival of Porta Ferrada, which takes place annually in the Costa Brava town of Sant Feliu de Guíxols, has come to an end following four weeks of music, theatre and dance performances. The event, in its 51st year, attracted a total of 11,105 attendees – 10,296 who bought tickets and 890 who went to the free events on offer. The 21 performances had an average attendance of 91% with 6 shows being complete sell-outs. 5 of the10 events in the Espai Port - the main stage of the festival - and the ‘Concerts per a nadons’ (Concerts for babies) shows were full to capacity. Some of the spectacles that were sold-out include the opening concert by Flamenco singer Diego El Cigala and the performance by the Orquesta Buena Vista Social Club. The festival took place in 8 venues with the Espai Port being the highlight, located in Sant Feliu de Guíxols sea front. The Benedictine Monastery Església del Monestir hosted some classical music concerts as it provides wonderful acoustics. The Artistic Director of the Porta Ferrada festival, Albert Mallol, spoke to the CNA and said that it is important “to know how to use all the festival’s venues” in order to get the most out of them. He also stressed how it is important to find new venues to add to the iconic ones that already exist in order to increase the amount of performances on offer.
Artistic Director Mallol mentioned that the event lacked “a certain stability” this year. In his opinion, the new management model that is being designed for the next two to three years will “create an event that is different from other festivals”. He continued that the festival is a “gateway” for many artists and the event has put itself on the map of the summer music and theatre festivals that exist in Catalonia.
In addition, the Deputy Mayor of Sant Feliu de Guíxols, Pere Albó, expressed his satisfaction with the management of the festival which was carried out by the company Bitò Produccions, which he considers “excellent”. The town council aims to consolidate its future as a model of hosting a reputable festival in the coming years.