Italy is the undisputed home of opera. The art was invented here in the 16th century and since then many of the world’s greatest operas have been written in the beautiful Italian language, surely the best language to sing opera in, by such household names as Puccini, Verdi, Bellini and Mozart’s contemporary Salieri. That’s not even to mention the Italian opera singers, the best in history, from Luciano Pavarotti and Enrico Caruso to Andrea Bocelli and Cecilia Bartoli.
Today, idealista/news brings you the best opera houses in Italy and where to find them so you can feel the thrill of experiencing opera in its birthplace, in the ancient and artistic utopia of Italy.
1. Teatro alla Scala, Milan
First on the list must surely be La Scala, which is not only the leading opera house in Italy but one of the finest in worldwide. It is located in one of the main squares in the centre of Milan alongside the La Scala Theatrical Museum, dedicated to the history opera and the theatre in general.
In its 2018/19 season, the theatre is putting on productions of the famous Italian operas La traviata and Rigoletto and they also have special programmes to encourage under 30s to get to know the world of both opera and ballet.
2. Teatro dell'Opera di Roma, Rome
The Rome Opera House in the Beniamino Gigli square is housed in a large, pillared building just behind the Piazza della Repubblica in the Italian capital.
The line-up for 2018/19 includes various concerts and dance shows, from Brahms and Beethoven concerts to a ballet version of the Spanish classic Don Quixote. As well as this, there are the traditional operatic performances like Rigoletto and Tosca in December, La Traviata in January, and Anne Boleyn in February.
3. La Fenice, Venice
This opera house in one of Italy’s most stunning and emblematic cities is named after the legendary bird, the Phoenix, after it nearly burned down twice but rose from the ashes. La Fenice theatre is located in the Piazza San Marco, a central square near the Grand Canal.
For the upcoming season, this famous opera house is planning to give performances of the Macbeth and La Traviata operas, plus famous operas from Mozart, Vivaldi, Puccini, Verdi and Rossini and many more well-known composers. There are also lots of concerts from the world’s best modern conductors and a continuation of its fantastic annual New Year show featuring Myung-Whun Chung, soprano Nadine Sierra and tenor Francesco Meli.
4. Teatro Regio, Turin
Turin’s Royal Theatre is a long, historical building that takes up one whole side of the Piazza Castello, close to the Royal Palace and the astounding Royal Church of Saint Lawrence (Real Chiesa di San Lorenzo). The theatre dates back all the way to 1740 and is highly respected in the world of opera, with a season running from October to June.
This year, there are productions of La Traviata, of course, but also Madame Butterfly and Pinocchio near the beginning of the new year, and Romeo & Juliet and The Italian in Algiers later on in the spring. There is even a very special performance of The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess to look forward to in July.
5. Teatro di San Carlo, Naples
The oldest of Italy’s opera houses, the San Carlo theatre is last but by no means least on our list. Being opened in 1737, it served as a model for many other European opera houses but remains a spectacular specimen in its own right and is well worth a visit.
For its newest season, the theatre has operatic performances of Nabucco and La Bohéme, plus the ever-present La Traviata and Madame Butterfly. It also exhibits a wide variety of cosmopolitan and experimental dance shows like Rossini Cards and Pulcinella, and also more recognisable classics such as The Nutcracker, Swan Lake and A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
For an insider tip, special mention must go to the Arena di Verona, which, while technically not being an opera house but rather an ancient amphitheatre, hosts many shows throughout the year from Carmen to The Barber of Seville and even very special concerts with such names as Andrea Bocelli.
So now you know all the best opera houses in Italy, it only remains for you to choose which one you want to visit first!
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