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The Ribas theater was the first theater installed on the perimeter of the future Plaza de Catalunya. It was located on the corner of Vergara Street, built in a wooden building, it had a stately appearance.
Although the theater was built in an area that belonged to Rambla de Catalunya, in the newspapers it was advertised as Plaza de Catalunya, 5. The theater was built on part of the land of the defunct Martorell station.
The first building built in wood by Joan Molas i Casas was inaugurated as the Ribas Theater on June 21, 1884.
The day before, La Vanguardia on its page 2 announced:
“Tomorrow, Saturday, the inauguration of this theater and the debut of Doña Juana Pastor’s company, with the following performance: 1. ° The story in one act by Don Mariano Barreras, The Pants, under the direction of Mr. Riquelme. 2. The painting lyrical comedy by Don Mariano Pina Domínguez and Don Javier de Burgos, music by maestro Rubio, They and Us, under the direction of Mr. Mesejo and the new zarzuela in one act For the parents’ house, taking part in the last two Miss Pastor.” The entrance cost 2 reais.
Two years later, Joan Molas, after a spectacular renovation, reopened it on Sunday, October 10, 1886, but this time he presented it as the new Theater of Catalonia.
For its inauguration, Molas hired the company Zamacois. He announced that, apart from the usual program on Wednesdays and Saturdays, the Association of Catalan Authors would perform. The inauguration would be carried out by Señor Ubach i Vinyeta, who would represent the drama Mala herba.
On Mondays, performances would be given by the Bartrina society and on Thursdays, by the new Carlota Mena society, made up of a group of young actors. The Rafael Calvo society would also hold its functions biweekly. Molas commented that with these elements, “we believe that there will be no shortage of animation in the theater.”
The Catalunya Theater closed its doors at the beginning of 1887, to proceed with its demolition and begin the construction of a new building completely complete that would become the new Eldorado Theater, built by Felip Bruguera Marieges.
Bruguera Marieges had set up a workshop in the attic of the new theater so that the set designer Félix Urgellés could create the sets for the plays. Eldorado would offer operas, zarzuelas, dance and music shows, as well as all types of theatrical performances.
Its inauguration took place on Sunday, May 15, 1887, with two extraordinary performances, one at three-thirty and another at 8:45 p.m.
In the La Vanguardia announcement, it communicated a series of actions for the coming days:
“The presentation in Spain of Paola Brebión, the performances of Mr. Chailler and Celine Dumont, The Boisets, the caricaturist Theo, Los Noassets, the smallest cyclists in the world, the tightrope walker Bellony and the premiere of the Pantomime América Pic Nic, all “The shows were enlivened by an Orchestra with 40 teachers directed by maestro Patusset. He announced that the cost of the mobile bell would be the responsibility of the company.”
After a few days of special performances, on the night of Tuesday, June 10, along with personal performances, Rerriicat’s operetta Les cadets de Gascogne premiered, “presented with due propriety” (an announcement that would make us laugh today).
During the first years it offered theatrical performances, operas, zarzuelas and variety shows. Some historians comment that, on May 24, 1985, the venue experienced a curious movie night with the projection of an animated photography show called Animatograhpe, however, the advertisement on the La Vanguardia billboard on page 6 only mentioned to a program to benefit Servando Cerbon, without commenting on any screening, and the premiere of the first performance of La Calandria.
The emergence of the cinema meant that, in 1913, its managers decided to abandon the theater and convert it after adapting it into a cinema, acquiring the latest equipment on the market:
It was inaugurated on June 7, 1913 as the Gran Cine Eldorado, with the screening of Ingratitude and Repentance, Uncle of the Inheritance and the reappearance of the brilliant artist Asta Nielsen, with the passionate drama in three acts and 64 paintings, Sangre Andaluza, a 1,300 meter film. The box prices were: 2 pesetas for the stalls and first floor seat, with admission, and 60 cents for the second floor entrance.
On Monday, October 25, 1915, the 2,500-meter film The Lady of the Camellias (a feature film for that time) premiered, which brought it great prestige as a cinema, but always alternating screenings with performances by top artists.
In 1916, the Bohemian Company took over the venue’s programming, which decided to eliminate any reference that had to do with cinema or theater, leaving it as Eldorado. It diversified the premises into two seasons: spring and summer, cinema and variety shows; and autumn and winter, theater with theatrical performances.
He hired Pepe Portes’ comedy company to premiere the new project on September 7 with the play Un millon dote, performed by actress Julia Delgado Caro. The theatrical programming was active until Monday, May 28, 1917.
The next day, Tuesday, May 29, the summer season premiered with a film and variety program. Screened the 2,000 meter film performed by Bertini, Andrea, and the personal performance of Pousenet, Gloria Gil Rey and Duque
The summer season was followed by the autumn and winter season with exclusive film screenings and performances by top artists of the time: Raquel Meller, La Argentinita, La Goyita, Conchita Piquer and Maurice Chevalier.
On Friday, June 1, he presented a highly topical documentary showing scenes of the navigation of his French production submarines and the maneuvers of the French squadron.
It was so widely accepted that it subsequently scheduled a series of documentaries on the military and economic power of the United States in morning sessions from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
In 1919, the Canadian Strike and the lockout caused the lack of newspaper publication, from November 1, 1919 to January 29, 1920, so there was no publicity for the shows.
In the fall and winter season of 1922, he presented Casimiro Ortas’s Apolo de Madrid company on Friday, September 15. In 1923, he did not make the usual change of cycle and only scheduled film and variety sessions.
It was not until 1924, 1926 and 1927 that he returned to performing theater performances in the autumn and winter months, almost always with zarzuela programs.
In 1928, the year began with a performance by Ernesto Vilches representing His Right Hand in the afternoon and An American in Madrid at night, performing until Sunday, February 5. The next day, Monday, it appeared again on the Billboards as Teatro Eldorado, with the Guerrero – Díaz de Mendoza dramatic company representing the play In Flanders the sun has set, which would continue until Sunday, July 1, the day that celebrated the last function as an entertainment company.
That day the sun also set for the old Teatro Ribas, Teatro Cataluña, Teatro Eldorado, Gran Cine Eldorado, Eldorado and Teatro Eldorado. A year later the premises were sold to the defunct Central Bank for the construction of its central office.
The Central Bank suspended construction for a time, since at that time the management of the Central Bank entered into negotiations with Banca Arnús to acquire the former headquarters of the Bank, located on the corner of Plaza de Catalunya and Las Ramblas. The Central Bank then transferred its rights to Banco Bilbao, which demolished the theater and built its central office building, in Plaza de Catalunya with Vergara.
