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During its history, Barcelona had three cinematographic buildings with the name of Odeón. In order of construction, the first was La Familiar Obrera de Sans (later, Odeón and, finally, Orfeón de Sans).
The first steps of this venue, located at Calle de Sans 73, were carried out by a choral society known as La Familiar Obrera de Sans and, later, it became the Ateneo Familiar, which, at the end of 1916, was acquired by Adolfo Cros .
Cros got in touch with Amadeo Llopart, a permanent assistant at the Barcelona School of Architecture, so that he would draw up a project for him and then direct the construction of a cinematographic venue that would have all the technical advances and all the comforts necessary to cause a sensation. impact on the neighborhood.
Llopart, to carry out the project, sought the support of the contractor Aragall and the carpenters Gabriel and Isaac, the painters Canela and Llorans, the plaster decorator Panicello, the electrician Albiol, the plumber Dornénech, the upholsterer Altabas and the glassmaker Lloms.
The building consisted of a ground floor and two floors, each of them had a room dedicated to watching the show and another with views to the outside, considered as a rest area, with a cafeteria. There were two stairs for a comfortable evacuation.
On the ground floor, an audience with comfortable seats, gave way to a stage that offered an elegant entrance where any type of theatrical or variety show could be performed.
It was inaugurated for the authorities, press and guests as Cine Odeón, on Thursday, March 1, 1917, and for the general public on Saturday, March 3, 1917.
La Vanguardia of the following Saturday commented:
The owner, Mr. Adolfo Cros, has not spared any means to put him in conditions of visuality, comfort, hygiene and safety in the event of an unfortunate accident. This is how many people who attended the invitation with which said gentleman kindly summoned them, for last Thursday afternoon, could appreciate it.
On Friday, April 20, 1917, a festival was held at the venue to benefit the work of Max Bembo (José Antonio Ruiz, ideological precursor of La Ciudad de los Niños), chaired by the Minister of Education, Amalio Gimeno Cabañas.
Max Bembo was endowed with an enormous spirit of solidarity towards the most disadvantaged (children, workers and beggars), who abounded in the city at the beginning of the 20th century, whom he called “desamparados” instead of poor.
In 1919, he settled in the premises, the Orfeón de Sants, founded in December 1901, which made it his headquarters. In 1960, the progress that the Orfeón had achieved at that time led its president, Gibert, to acquire the premises for six million pesetas.
The lack of growth in the number of partners and the increase in the society’s expenses caused the scarcity of resources. Beset by debts, the management of the company decided to sell the premises in order to, in 1965, build a building with 43 apartments.
Currently, the Orfeón de Sants is located at Calle Miquel Ángel 54, next to the gardens of Can Mantega. Since 2006 it has been managed by the Orfeó de Sants Private Foundation.
The next story will be that of the second Odeón cinema, which began as a theater and was located at the other end of the city, at 2 Nadal Street, on the corner with Paseo de Fabra and Puig.
