Opera houses and theatres of Venice
The first commercial opera was set up in 1637, after which at one point the city had six opera houses. This ushered in a period in which they throve up to a decline in opera and theatre with the advent of television. Recently there has been a revival due to tourism and events such as the International Theatre Festival of the Biennale di Venezia.[1]
Theatres still open today
- La Fenice - Venice's leading opera house. The first theatre was built in 1792 and the current structure opened in 2003.[2]
- Teatro Goldoni 1622–present. Originally the Teatro Vendramin di San Salvador (in Venetian dialect)[3] or Teatro San Salvatore, 1622, renamed Teatro San Luca, then Teatro Apollo in 1833, Teatro Goldoni from 1875 and today Teatro Stabile di Veneto "Carlo Goldoni".[4]
- Teatro Malibran originally Teatro San Giovanni Grisostomo 1678. Re-opened in 2001 by President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi[5]
- Theatre Fondamenta Nuove, 1998 on the north lagoon, musical and cultural events, as well as conferences and workshops.[6]
On the mainland
- Teatro del Parco, Mestre. An indoors theatre in Parco della Bissuola, the largest city park.[7]
- Teatro Toniolo, Mestre. re-opened 2003[8]
- Teatro della Murata, Mestre - opened 1970; a small experimental theatre, seating 70, in an old warehouse attached to the remaining city walls.[9]
Theatres now demolished, destroyed by fire or closed
- Teatro San Cassiano 1637-1812. Site of first commercial opera, Francesco Mannelli's Andromeda, in 1637. Demolished 1812.
- Teatro Santi Giovanni e Paolo 1638-1715; a theatre owned by the Grimani family on the Calle della Testa.
- Teatro Novissimo 1640-1645. Six seasons, six operas.
- Teatro San Moisè 1640-1818. Near the Palazzo Giustinian and the Church of San Moisè at the entrance to the Grand Canal.
- Teatro SS. Apostoli 1648- [10]
- Teatro S. Apollinare. 1651
- Teatro San Samuele 1665-1889. Founded in 1655 by the Grimani family. The theatre was active up until 1889. It stood on the Rio del Duca and was demolished in 1894. "It is a pretty theatre well adapted for hearing. Opera buffas are performed here" (Murray, 1860)
- Teatro San Angelo. Theatre where Vivaldi produced many of his 100 operas.
- Teatro San Benedetto 1755-?. Another theatre of the Grimani family, built 1755, burned down 1774, rebuilt. Later "called Teatro Gallo after its proprietor" (Murray, 1860)[11] then renamed Teatro Rossini.
- Teatro Ai Saloni of San Gregorio - active circa 1650 for the members of the Academy for spoken drama.
- Teatro a Cannaregio near the Chiesa di San Giobbe. Built by the patrician Marco Morosini for the performance of his opera Ermelinda (1679).
- Teatro alle Zattere a private theatre on the promenade in Ognissanti 1679.[12]
- Teatro Calle dell'Oca, small theatre 1707
- Teatro Altieri - private theatre in the garden of the Altieri princes. 1690 Gl'amori fortunati negli equivoci.
References