Historic Tangier Theater Restoration Resumes After Two-Year Hiatus

The Grand Théâtre Cervantes in Tangier was built in 1913 by Antonio Gallego with the support of Esperanza Orellana and her husband Manuel Peña. In 1928, its owners donated it to the Spanish state. Then in 1970, it was closed and abandoned until 2019 when the government of Pedro Sánchez decided to donate it to the Moroccan government for its restoration. The work had started in 2021 and experienced two years of interruption before being relaunched on August 9, reports El Cierre Digital. Spain transferred the Grand Théâtre Cervantes to Morocco on the condition that the name of the establishment and the promotion of Spanish culture be maintained.

"This is something we have been waiting for for many years, it is excellent news... This restoration means the maintenance of Spanish culture in the name of Spanish history, because it was a theater that developed among the Spanish. It is immense joy to see these images now, because it implies that the governments care about maintaining history and restoring it," rejoices Consuelo, who has never ceased to appeal to the Spanish government for the restoration of this 1,400-seat theater that was officially ceded on March 1 to the Moroccan city of Tangier.

On March 20, 2019, Josep Borrell, then Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs, signed a protocol agreement with the Moroccan authorities for the transfer of the theater, which will only become effective in February 2023. The document specifies that it is an irrevocable donation and imposes conditions on Morocco, including "the restoration of the building in its entirety, respecting the original architecture" and the assumption of "all restoration, renovation, management and maintenance costs". The restoration must be completed within a maximum of three years and a joint commission will be set up to monitor this work.