Josep Maria Mestres

The Teatre Nacional de Catalunya begins a new stage. After six seasons under the direction of Carme Portaceli, the institution has chosen Josep Maria Mestres as its new artistic director, a handover that will become effective starting from the 2027-2028 season. Mestres was selected in a public competition that brought together up to forty candidacies. Familiar with the institution and with a career linked to major Catalan stages, he will take on the challenge of defining the artistic direction of the TNC in the coming years, with the aim of continuing to expand audiences, reinforce its role as a Catalan cultural reference, and consolidate its international projection. Mestres will join the TNC on September 1, 2026, almost a year before fully assuming the position. This period of coexistence with Portaceli will coincide with a symbolic stage for the theater, marked by the celebration of its 30th anniversary.

To lead the future of the TNC, the institution has opted for a figure with a long trajectory. Born in Calaf in 1959, Josep Maria Mestres has more than three decades of experience and some sixty productions. His resume includes productions such as Un matrimoni de Boston, L'oreneta, Justícia, Els Watson or the monumental work L'herència, one of the most acclaimed in recent years. His relationship with the TNC is close and continuous. He has directed shows such as La filla del mar, by Àngel Guimerà, La infanticida, by Víctor Català, and Els Watson, by Laura Wade, all three premiered in the Sala Gran.