A bet by the businessman Frederico de Lima Mayer, a refined man, who wanted to endow Lisbon with a space exclusively dedicated to the cult of the Seventh Art, a movement that was on the rise all over the world, the Tivoli opened, with pomp and circumstance in 1924.
Designed by the architect Raul Lino, the Cine-Teatro Tivoli quickly established itself as a modern space, with unique characteristics and able to satisfy the needs of lovers of different artistic and cultural manifestations. Its Neoclassical style, with accentuated shapes and a dome-shaped roof covered in black tile, lent it the personality of French theaters, which gave Av. Da Liberdade a certain flavor of the Parisian boulevard, already foreseen by its gardens and leisure spaces reminiscent of the Champs Elysees. Inside, the adopted style is present in the room's decorative motifs and in the proscenium framing options. The theater also had its place immediately. In 1925, on the initiative of Antonio Ferro, the Teatro Novo group was founded, which brought countless plays to the scene. Other theatrical companies, national and international, also adopted the space for their presentations, as well as ballet companies and orchestras.
In constant renovation, the Tivoli remained at the forefront, becoming a symbol of the city and the avenue. In 1997, seventy-three years after its inauguration, it was classified as a Property of Public Interest. Having changed hands several times over the past 3 decades, the Tivoli Theater is now owned by UAU, a national show producer that aims to keep the space active, producing more and better events, shows, conferences, television galas, concerts, advertisements advertising and any other manifestations that fall within its multi-faceted essence. This acquisition was only financially possible with the support of BBVA, which took on the naming of the theater, in yet another demonstration of the cosmopolitan character of Lisbon, which joined so many other cities in the world with cultural spaces whose names are associated with brands.
