This is how the island institution has been celebrating World Theatre Day since last year
The Consell de Mallorca is celebrating World Theatre Day at Palma’s Teatro Principal with the dedication of eleven stalls in an emotional act of homage to eleven outstanding figures who dedicated an important part of their lives to the Mallorcan theatre scene.
The act of placing the plaques with the name of each of these outstanding people took place this Wednesday at 6 pm in the Sala Gran, in the presence of the president of the Consell de Mallorca, Llorenç Galmés; the vice-president and councillor of Culture and Heritage, Antònia Roca; the director of the Teatre Principal de Palma, Miquel Martorell; as well as family and friends of the people being honoured.
The president of the Consell de Mallorca, Llorenç Galmés, celebrated the fact that the island’s institution is organising, for the second year running, this heartfelt tribute that aims to become a tradition for each World Theatre Day: ‘Today, the Teatro Principal is filled with pride in memory and gratitude to these eleven people who have left an indelible mark on our island’s theatre scene. With this event we not only recognise their professional career, but also their passion and commitment to making theatre culture grow in Mallorca’.
TDB keeps you informed. Follow us on: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
The Consell de Mallorca dedicates eleven seats in Palma’s Teatre Principal to eleven emblematic figures of Mallorcan theatre
The eleven people to whom a stalls seat with their name has been dedicated this year are: Juanito Valls, actor; Maruja Alfaro, actress; Joan Maria Melis, actor; Margarita Amengual, ticket agent at the Teatro Principal; Miquel Capllonch, composer; Margaluz, actress; Antoni Mus, playwright; Aina Forteza, actress; Guillem Cabrer, playwright; Maria Reus, actress and Antoni Terrassà, caretaker of the Teatro Principal. ‘These are people who represent the effort and dedication to ensure that many people on the island have been able to enjoy Mallorcan theatre culture and who have contributed to keeping it alive over time,’ added Galmés.
The celebration of World Theatre Day continues with the premiere this Thursday of the play Desbarats, by Llorenç Villalonga, staged by Rafel Duran. Before the premiere, at 8 p.m., the international manifesto for World Theatre Day will be read, which this year has been drawn up by the Greek playwright, educator and stage director Theodoros Terzopoulos.
The eleven people being honoured
Juanito Valls (Palma 1904-1958) was a musician, actor and theatre director. With a long career both as a musician in zarzuelas and as a performer in numerous plays, his great fame came with the Artis troupe, of which he was an actor and director from 1950 until his death in a car accident in 1958.
Maruja Alfaro (Barcelona 1930 – Palma 2024) was an actress and co-founder of theatre companies and groups such as Agrupació Bellver, Assistència Palmesana and, above all, the Zanoguera Alfaro company, which she created with her husband Antoni Zanoguera. She took part in numerous theatre productions, many of them at the Teatro Principal, where she will always be remembered for giving life to Dona Obdúlia in Llorenç Villalonga’s Mort de dama.
Joan Maria Melis (Santander 1926 – Palma 2018) was an actor who joined the Artis company in 1950 and later, in 1967, joined the Xesc Forteza company, with which he collaborated until his death in 2002. He took part in numerous plays, many of them at the Teatro Principal, such as Dins un gruix de velluts and Els enamorats.
Margarita Amengual (Palma 1942-2025) worked at the Teatro Principal, where she mainly worked as a ticket-taker. All those who knew her highlight her rigour at work and her kindness towards her friends. Margarita was an excellent saleswoman and knew our audiences at first hand.
Miquel Capllonch (Pollença 1861-1935) was a pianist and composer. He lived in Berlin, where he taught music to the royal houses of Prussia and Saxony, and cultivated friendships with Rubinstein and Clara Schumann. He also lived in Madrid and Barcelona. His compositional work focuses mainly on the piano.
Margaluz (Margalida Llobera Llompart) (Palma 1940-2006) was an actress and singer. She worked for twenty-five years in the Xesc Forteza company. Later, she took part in several theatre productions, some of them at the Teatro Principal. As a singer, she was a member of Els Valldemossa, a group with which she recorded six records and toured the world.
Antoni Mus (Felanitx 1925 – Manacor 1982) was a playwright and stage director, as well as a novelist. The Artis company premiered nine of his plays, and he himself later became the company’s director. His plays include Els muts, which premiered at the Teatre Principal, and Vida i miracles de n’Aineta dels matalassos (Life and Miracles of Aineta dels matalassos). He also wrote the lyrics for numerous songs by Antoni Parera Fons.
Aina Forteza (Palma 1934-1990) was an actress who formed part of the Zanoguera Alfaro troupe. Later on, she took part in numerous productions at the Teatro Principal, such as Les alegres casades de Windsor, Els muts and Don Juan Tenorio. At the Teatre Principal she also worked as a director and coordinator of lyric shows.
Guillem Cabrer (Palma 1944-1990) was a playwright and theatre director. His work revolves around freedom, especially individual freedom, with titles such as Aina Sacoma, Varennes, El capitel-lo and Doble joc. He was the stage director of the first opera of the Teatro Principal’s Opera Season, Verdi’s Il trovatore, in 1986.
Maria Reus (Sóller 1928 – Palma 2016) was an actress who performed with the Grup Artístic Majórica and, from 1981, worked regularly with the Xesc Forteza company. She also took part in numerous plays at the Teatro Principal, such as Mort de dama, La dida and Faust.
Antoni Terrasa (Palma 1926-2018) was the caretaker and head of maintenance at the Teatre Principal from 1977 until 1993, when he retired. Passionate about his work, he always carried it out with responsibility and served the public with pride.