Grup Focus
Corporate brand
UnclaimedCatalan corporate group managing cultural venues and producing theatre, shows and large-scale cultural events, founded in Barcelona in 1986.
Last updated September 26, 2026
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Overview
Grup Focus is a Catalan corporate group dedicated to the management of cultural venues and the production of theatrical shows and cultural events. Its first company was founded in Barcelona on 13 February 1986 under the legal name Serveis de l'Espectacle FOCUS, S.A., and the group was formally constituted as Grup Focus in 2007. It is headquartered at Carrer d'Àvila, 149-155, in the Poblenou district of Barcelona, and its president is Daniel Martínez. The group began with theatre production and quickly moved into venue management. Its first major success was Estan tocant la nostra cançó (1990), staged at the Teatre Goya with more than 200 performances and later presented in a Spanish-language version at the Teatro Alcalá-Palace in Madrid. In 1992 the company took over the integral management of the Teatre Condal in Barcelona, where it premiered L'Estranya Parella with Joan Pera and Paco Morán; the show drew more than a million spectators (1,123,797) and stayed on the bill until 1999. This success fuelled a period of business expansion focused on managing theatre spaces, including the Tívoli, the Principal and La Villarroel in Barcelona. From the late 1990s Grup Focus also began managing large events, such as the Barcelona Three Kings' Parade and the opening celebration of the Port of Tarragona. In 1999 the company moved to its current headquarters on Carrer d'Àvila. During the 2000s it continued to expand internationally with productions such as Macbeth at the Barbican in London (2003), La ópera de cuatro cuartos in Paris (2003) and Mestres Antics at the Caracas International Theatre Festival. In 2002 it opened the Barcelona Teatre Musical after renovating an old sports palace, and in 2006 it opened an office in Madrid. In 2007 it was formally constituted as Grup Focus. During this period it managed major events including the opening acts of the Frankfurt Book Fair 2007, Expo Zaragoza 2008 and the bicentenary events of 2 May in Madrid. In the 2010s the group continued to manage venues and events, including the central act of Expo Shanghai 2010 and the visit of Pope Benedict XVI to Barcelona in 2012, as well as the Barcelona New Year's Eve celebrations in 2013 and 2014 on Avinguda Maria Cristina. In 2014 the group celebrated its 10,000,000th spectator after 228 productions, rewarding a young spectator with a trip to London, West End musical tickets and a year of free theatre. In 2022, through Àfora Focus and together with the publisher Comanegra, it convened the first Premi Santa Eulàlia de novel·la. As of 2015 Grup Focus managed five theatres, four in Barcelona and one in Madrid: the Teatre Romea, the Teatre Goya, the Teatre Condal, La Villarroel and the Teatro La Latina. It also manages the Barcelona Internacional Teatre, a theatrical production platform aimed at internationalising Catalan theatre. The group's official website describes its mission simply as "Creem Històries i ens agrada explicar-les" (We create stories and we like to tell them).
History
Grup Focus traces its origins to 13 February 1986, when the company was founded in Barcelona under the legal name Serveis de l'Espectacle FOCUS, S.A. Its first headquarters was on Carrer Matanzas in the Indians district (Sant Andreu), where the Grup de Teatre Genesis Teatral was also based. In the 1990s the company established itself as a theatre producer. Its first successful production was Estan tocant la nostra cançó, premiered in 1990 at the Teatre Goya, where it ran for more than 200 performances; a Spanish-language version was presented at the Teatro Alcalá-Palace in Madrid. Two years later the company took on the integral management of the Teatre Condal in Barcelona. There it premiered L'Estranya Parella, a play starring Joan Pera and the late Paco Morán, which was a resounding public success with more than one million spectators (1,123,797) and remained on the bill until 1999. This production allowed the company to begin a period of business expansion, specialising in the management of theatre spaces, among which the Tívoli, the Principal and La Villarroel in Barcelona stand out. In 1997 the play La Verbena de la paloma was presented at the Edinburgh Festival, where its director, Calixto Bieito, made his international debut. Shortly afterwards he was appointed artistic director of the Teatre Romea and staged La vida es sueño, which was very successful in Edinburgh, London and New York. In the late 1990s the company also began managing large events, such as the Barcelona cavalcade and the opening party of the Port of Tarragona. In 1999 the company moved to its current headquarters on Carrer d'Àvila. During the first years of the 21st century the company continued its expansion with the internationalisation of shows such as Macbeth, which triumphed at the Barbican in London (2003), La ópera de cuatro cuartos in Paris (2003) and Mestres Antics at the Caracas International Theatre Festival. In 2002 it opened the Barcelona Teatre Musical after renovating an old sports palace. In 2006 the group opened an office in Madrid. In 2007 it was formally constituted as Grup Focus. During this period it managed major events such as the opening acts of the Frankfurt Book Fair 2007, Expo Zaragoza 2008 and the bicentenary events of 2 May in Madrid. In the 2010s Julio Manrique took over the direction of the Teatre Romea in 2011, a position he held until 2013. In 2012 the company managed the central act of Expo Shanghai 2010 and the visit of Pope Benedict XVI to Barcelona. In 2013 and 2014 it organised the Barcelona New Year's Eve celebrations, held on Avinguda Maria Cristina. In 2014 the group celebrated its 10,000,000th spectator after 228 productions, rewarding a young spectator with a trip to London, tickets to a West End musical and a year of free theatre. In the 2020s, in 2022, it convened, through Àfora Focus and together with the publisher Comanegra, the first Premi Santa Eulàlia de novel·la. Across its history Grup Focus has managed numerous venues: the Teatre Condal (1990), Teatre Tívoli (1996), Teatre Principal de Barcelona (1997), Teatre Joventut de L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Teatre Romea (1999), Barcelona Teatre Musical (2002), Teatre Villarroel (2006, with Javier Daulte) and Teatre Goya (2008). It has also produced dozens of theatrical shows, including Estan tocant la nostra cançó (1990), the stage version of Las amistades peligrosas (1993), La Extraña pareja with Joan Pera and Paco Morán (1995-1999), La vida es sueño (1998), Germans de sang, La Jaula de las Locas, Mamaaa, Macbeth (2003), Matar al Presidente and Desaparecer (2012). In event management it has produced the Cavalcada de Reis de Barcelona, the opening party of the Port of Tarragona, the Festival de Música de Galicia and the Festival Dos Océanos de Lisboa, among others. In 2004 it created and produced Moure el món, the opening show of the Barcelona Forum of Cultures. In 2007 it designed and produced the opening show of the Frankfurt Book Fair, which had Catalan culture as guest, and presented Tirant lo Blanc in Berlin and Frankfurt. A year later it devised and directed the opening show of Expo Zaragoza 2008, titled Iceberg, Sinfonía poético visual, created and directed by Calixto Bieito. In 2008 it managed the central act of the Bicentenary of 2 May in Madrid. As of 2015 Grup Focus managed five theatres, four in Barcelona and one in Madrid: the Teatre Romea, the Teatre Goya, the Teatre Condal, La Villarroel and the Teatro La Latina. It also manages the Barcelona Internacional Teatre, a theatrical production platform with the aim of internationalising Catalan theatre.
- 2022
Convened first Premi Santa Eulàlia de novel·la through Àfora Focus with publisher Comanegra
- 2014
Celebrated 10,000,000th spectator after 228 productions; organised Barcelona New Year's Eve celebration
- 2013
Organised Barcelona New Year's Eve celebration on Avinguda Maria Cristina
- 2012
Managed central act of Expo Shanghai 2010 and visit of Pope Benedict XVI to Barcelona
- 2011
Julio Manrique assumed direction of Teatre Romea (until 2013)
- 2008
Devised and directed opening show of Expo Zaragoza 2008; managed central act of Bicentenary of 2 May in Madrid; assumed management of Teatre Goya
- 2007
Formally constituted as Grup Focus; designed and produced opening show of Frankfurt Book Fair
- 2006
Opened an office in Madrid; assumed management of Teatre Villarroel with Javier Daulte
- 2004
Created and produced Moure el món, opening show of the Barcelona Forum of Cultures
- 2003
Macbeth triumphed at the Barbican in London; La ópera de cuatro cuartos staged in Paris
Products and positioning
Leading Catalan cultural venue manager and theatre/event producer, combining commercial theatre with major public cultural events and international touring.
1990
Estan tocant la nostra cançó
1992
L'Estranya Parella
1993
Las amistades peligrosas (stage version)
1998
La vida es sueño
2003
Macbeth
2004
Moure el món
2008
Iceberg, Sinfonía poético visual
2012
Desaparecer
Sources4 sources
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