Historic Villena Theater Celebrates Centenary with Special ONCE Lottery Coupon
Villena, November 27 – The Chapí Theater in villena is marking its 100th anniversary with a commemorative coupon from ONCE, Spain’s national organization for the blind, for the December 6th lottery draw. The special edition coupon, part of a run of five and a half million, will highlight the theater’s milestone.
The presentation of the coupon was attended by Villena Mayor Fulgencio José Cerdán, Estela Medina, Director of ONCE in Alicante, Chapí Theater Director Paco Flor, and Councilor for Culture María Server.
Opened in December 1925, the Chapí Theater honors composer Ruperto Chapí, a Villena native born March 27, 1851, and creator of celebrated zarzuelas like La Revoltosa and La Bruja. A previous theater dedicated to Chapí existed in Villena as early as 1885, with plans for a new, larger venue initiated in 1914 by then-Mayor Salvador Amorós Martínez. The current building was inaugurated on December 5, 1925.
After a period of disrepair, the theater underwent restoration and reopened to the public on April 24, 1999. Today, the Chapí theater is recognized as one of the most active performing arts venues in the Valencian Community, hosting 55 performances and attracting over 22,000 spectators in 2024 alone.
The theater’s architecture blends neo-Arab and medieval influences, featuring horseshoe arches, Nasrid columns, and an orientalist aesthetic. Recent renovations have restored the original ornamental details of the interior, including boxes, stalls, a central rose window, and the curtain.
The Chapí Theater currently accommodates 864 patrons across its stalls, first floor, and amphitheater, and also includes a cafeteria, orchestra pit, dressing rooms, and rehearsal spaces.
