In 1897, a theatre had to be built in Ibiza town. This was obliged when the first plot of land located outside what was then the urban centre of Vila went up for auction. Commander Pereyra, Abel Matutes, and Josep Tarrés decided to find it and, two years later, opened the first theatre in Ibiza.
In 1904, the society experienced another notable moment: the arrival of the first cinema, which allowed Ibizans to discover the seventh art. In 1921, the first works were carried out to expand the space.
It was in 1987 when the main hall ceased its activity, maintaining the well-known café until 2018.
In 2006, the theatre was declared an Asset of Cultural Interest.
Visit the new ‘El Teatro Pereyra’ in Ibiza
May 3, 2024 will go down in the history of the city of Ibiza as the day when the Pereyra Theatre raised its curtain again and came to life again. 125 years earlier, on April 6, the Ibizan society of the time must have been happy to attend the inauguration of this establishment built at the foot of the walls. More than a century later, there was also a clear sense of joy among those attending the reopening of the new theatre yesterday after seeing the result of the excellent rehabilitation project carried out.
The more than 400 guests were able to walk around every corner of the renovated facility, discovering that each box was named after an international artist: Dua Lipa, Led Zeppelin, or Michael Jackson, among others.
After a cocktail and appetizers, three ‘sonadors’ burst into the room, making it clear with their music that the official event was about to begin.
Among the most eagerly awaited speeches, the owner, Pedro Matutes, began by acknowledging that he was finally looking forward to saying “Welcome to the Pereyra Theatre”. He then reviewed the history of this space, recalling that, as soon as it was opened more than a century ago, “it became the sensation, the great novelty.”
“In short, this theatre has accompanied us in the historical period in which Ibizan society has experienced the most radical changes. If we were in Madrid, we would say without fear of being wrong that the Pereyra is our Puerta de Alcalá,” said Matutes in his speech. He also assured that it is “our own Cinema Paradiso but with a better ending.”
Matutes explained to the attendees how they had planned the rehabilitation project in their day, avoiding simply refurbishing a building and having it be born “dead” without activity. “We wanted a rebirth, not a mummification,” he insisted.
In addition to detailing the structural and decorative restoration process, Matutes advanced the property’s intentions with the calendar of activities. She also referred to the appearance of important archaeological remains that altered the pace of the works and mentioned other “less logical” difficulties, pointing out that “whoever put ridiculous obstacles to a work that benefited everyone can now see the magnitude of their failure.”
Matutes even had words for the Ibiza Yacht Club, saying that “in the face of the failure as a society that has meant its loss,” they have offered the Pereyra facilities to be able to celebrate part of the Club’s cultural agenda.
Historic achievement
The government president, Marga Prohens, celebrated the “historic achievement” achieved with this reform by the Matutes family, “a life project.” “Thank you for allowing a Mallorcan to participate in this little piece of Ibiza’s history,” she said.
Prohens pointed out that yesterday, “more than a cultural facility” was inaugurated, highlighting how the Ibizans combine tradition, heritage, and culture, betting on an offer that will once again place the islands at “the forefront of the Mediterranean.”
The president of the Consell d´Eivissa, Vicent Marí, said that the residents «missed this emblematic space» and wanted to thank the Matutes family for their years of dedication and work to recover this place.
«If we stop to think, rehabilitating and renovating an emblematic building like the theatre is also recovering a part of our history,» said Marí, who said yesterday’s event was «a trip to the past» and a stage open to new projects and initiatives. The president recalled that the reform has meant the «largest private investment in Ibiza aimed at recovering a cultural and social space.»
The mayor of Ibiza, Rafa Triguero, also highlighted in his speech that «there are days of special joy in the city», and one of them was yesterday with the reopening of the Pereyra, a «historic theatre» that has witnessed countless events and moments. For the mayor, the infrastructure will help achieve one of his objectives in the City Council: “reviving our cultural life».
Ibiza Hippie Heaven
The long-awaited return of the iconic Teatro Pereyra begins its adventure with the new musical dinner show Ibiza Hippie Heaven by Nacho Cano. The already traditional temple of live music will combine the best national and international musicians, actors and dancers in thematic nights of magic and fantasy sweetened by the finest gastronomy, creating a different experience every day of the week.
The dinner is 250 euros per person, so we chose the entrance ticket of 50 euros, including one drink. For this, you are on the top-floor balcony, a good place to watch the show and dance without anyone seeing you! The musical is fantastic. The lead singer is like a modern Jesus Christ Superstar with a golden voice.
The whole cast is amazing, funny and very talented. The decor with video effects is very impressive and cleverly made. We even had to cry a few times because the musical explains why people love Ibiza so much. Compliments for this first dinner show in Teatro, we hope it will last a long time because everybody needs to see it.
https://www.teatropereyraibiza.com/
Address C. del Comte de Rosselló,
3, 07800 Eivissa, Illes Balears, Spain
Contact +34 871 751 644
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