Losses force Barcelona's Liceu to close its doors

Barcelona's opera house, the Liceu, will be closed from March 20 to April 10 and June 5 to July 8 (a total of 56 days) to help stem losses.  

The combination of a 15% cut in its public subsidy for 2012, a similar cut in 2011 and a drop in ticket sales are expected to create a shortfall that management estimate at 10 million euros.

Various shows including two opera programmes (A Florentine Tragedy/Der Zwerg and Pelleas et Méllisande) will disappear from the schedules as a result.

While it's currently expected that the 2012-13 season will go ahead, there will be a reduction in the number of performances, and there will be no alternations of repertoire, to reduce the costs of dismantling and assembling the scenery.