Drama has a tradition in Catalonia which goes back to the Middle Ages. Thanks to distinguished playwrights and actors in the Catalan language, the theatres of Barcelona and other cities have gained a well deserved reputation among demanding but lively audiences. 

Catalonia has been at the cutting edge of experimental drama. Among the leading theatrical groups are several which have won international renown: the Teatre Lliure de Barcelona, the Comediants, the Joglars, Dagoll Dagom and the innovative Fura dels Baus. Every summer an open-air festival takes place at the Greek Theatre on Montjuïc hill in Barcelona and the town of Tàrrega hosts a street drama festival. 

Barcelona has a long history of opera which the local point is the famous Gran Teatre del Liceu, on the Rambla, built in 1847. Here the finest operas of the international repertoire have been staged, and leading operatic stars have performed, among them several Catalans including Montserrat Caballé, Josep Carreras and Jaume Aragall. The auditorium and stage were destroyed by fire in 1994 and the new theatre, which will be as close a replica as possible to the old one, is now being rebuilt on the same spot. 

In the field of symphonic and concert music, Catalonia has been the birthplace of composers and performers of international standing such as Enric Granados and Isaac Albeniz, the avant-garde composer Robert Gerhard, or the great cellist Pau Casals. A number of interesting concert cycles featuring leading musicians and ensembles are held in Barcelona's magnificent Modernist-style concert hall, the Palau de la Música Catalana. Choral singing also enjoys long-standing popularity and numerous choirs are active throughout the country. 

In many towns and villages, summer music festivals take place in historic buildings or places of particular artistic interest. The most important include the opera and concert festivals held at Peralada castle, and the festivals of Cadaquès, Torroella de Montgrí, Santes Creus, La Seu d’Urgell and El Vendrell. 

And there is just as much activity on the popular music scene. The choice of genres ranges from flamenco -which has a solid tradition in Catalonia and has produced figures of the standing of Carmen Amaya or, more recently, Mayte Martín -, to jazz, which can be enjoyed in numerous clubs and festivals (Tete Montoliu, the internationally famous jazz pianist, was born in catalonia). Salsa is also well represented, and many gifted poet singers perform in Catalan, notably Raimon, J.M. Serrat, and Lluís Llach.