Gran Teatro de La Habana, Opera house and theater in Central Havana, Cuba

The Gran Teatro de La Habana is a theater and opera house in central Havana that brings together multiple performance venues under one roof. Its Art Nouveau facade extends across a full city block on Paseo del Prado, with tall arches and decorated balconies on each floor.

Paul Belau designed the building in 1914 for a Galician community, incorporating parts of an older theater from the mid-1800s. Construction followed a wave of European immigration to Cuba, when prosperous colonial associations established their own cultural meeting points.

The theatre is named after the ballerina Alicia Alonso, who directed the National Ballet of Cuba; the State Council added her name in September 2015. A bronze sculpture of her as Giselle, by José Villa Soberón, was unveiled in the lobby in 2018. The building was first the Centro Gallego, a Galician social centre, and the Galician anthem was played there for the first time.

The entrance sits directly on Paseo del Prado, across from Parque Central, making it easy to reach on foot. Tours take place during daytime hours when rehearsals are not running, and evening performances typically start after sunset.

The four white marble groups on the facade, carved by Giuseppe Moretti with Geneva Mercer, represent Charity, Education, Music and Theatre; they belong to a set of ninety-seven sculptures made for the building. Inside the lobby stands a bronze of Alicia Alonso unveiled in 2018 by José Villa Soberón, named Giselle after the ballet that made her famous.