The International Classical Theater Festival of Mérida opened its fourth official venue in 2017 in the Roman city of Cáparra, the first stage located in the province of Cáceres. This extension of the festival is added those already existing in Medellín, Regina and Madrid.
A few kilometers from the city of Plasencia in Cáceres, in the municipality of Oliva, we find the captivating site of Cáparra. Under the rule of Rome, this city would become an important communication hub on the north-south axis between Augusta Emerita (Mérida) and Asturica Augusta (Astorga) which forms the Vía de la Plata. This strategic location ensured a preferential place among the Roman municipalities of Lusitania, promoting its development and gradual monumentalization as seen by the numerous archaeological remains.
Fully walled, Cáparra had three access gates, located respectively to the southeast, east and west. There were two main roads that structured the city, the Cardo and the Decumano. In the center of the site is the Cáparra arch, an indisputable symbol of the city. It is next to this arch that the stage is located and the different plays detailed below will take place.
Together with Madrid, Cáparra is one of the largest secondary hubs of the Mérida Festival. This year, it will host four shows, all from the 68th edition: The Aroma of Rome (August 10), The Tomb of Antígona (August 11) , Miles Gloriosus (August 12) and Qué Salga Aristófanes! from Els Joglars (August 13).
In addition, this year the Festival expands its horizons with an activity in Plasencia, which will host the Aquiles Parade of the company La Fam on August 10, which paraded through the streets of Mérida in the 67th edition (year 2021).
