Rome鈥檚 Opera House
The official Rome opera house was originally known as Teatro Costanzi, from its founder Domenico Costanzi.聽In 1928, the theatre was bought by Rome鈥檚 City Hall and became know as Teatro Reale dell鈥橭pera (Royal Opera House). Today it is known simply as the Teatro dell鈥橭pera. Of course, not only operas are featured, but also ballets and other major cultural events are held here.
Before Rome became the capital of Italy in 1870, Monsignor Francesco Saverio de Merode, to whom the San Vitale鈥檚 dale belonged, had foreseen that with the construction of Termini Railway Station it would be a good investment to urbanize the route from the newly born station to Via del Corso. Domenico Costanzi took part in the enterprise and bought land on which he first built the Quirinale Hotel, along the new Via Nazionale (1874), then, on the adjoining land, he created the Opera House, which was one thing Rome was really missing at the time. The hotel had an underground passage leading directly to the Opera House which ensured the highest privacy possible and that was highly appreciated by the performers.
The original structure of the Rome opera house designed by architect Achille Sfondrini who had it built in under two years. Its neo-renaissance style was very popular at the time and even though the聽theatre was not large, it had excellent acoustics.聽Above the audience hung the聽beautiful dome painted by Andrea Brugnoli. The Teatro Costanzi was officially opened by the King and Queen of Italy on November 27th, 1880, with the 鈥楽eramide鈥� by Gioacchino Rossini.
Unfortunately, the venture did not reveal itself to be particularly profitable, even though it held some impressive world premieres. Mr. Costanzi had to commit his own assets and maintain an impresario status until his death in 1898. Walter Mocchi and his wife oversaw the running of the old Costanzi, during which the performances were to include everything from Wagner to Mussorgsky.
In 1926, Rome鈥檚 City Council bought the Opera House, commissioning architect Marcello Piacentini with the restoration of the structure. He also had an extraordinary chandelier, made in Murano, placed in the Opera House where it still hangs. Even today it is still considered the largest one in the world. The restored theater was given the name of Teatro Reale dell鈥橭pera (Royal Opera House). Opening night at the new theatre was the opera: 鈥楴erone鈥� by Arrigo Boito. When the new Italian Republic came into being after World War II, the adjective: 鈥楻eale鈥�, was dropped, becoming the 鈥楾eatro dell鈥橭pera鈥�.
In 1958 the Rome City Council once again hired architect Piacentini to redesign the fa莽ade聽and entrance in a more 鈥榤odernistic鈥� style. Previous works, such as the marvelous stuccos, were restored.
The theatre holds 1600 people in air-conditioned comfort while experiencing world-class acoustics. The Opera House also has its own ballet and a classical dance school, and always has a ballet season, very popular in Rome. Here was given the Italian premi猫re of Stravinsky鈥檚 鈥楿ccello di Fuoco鈥� (Fire Bird) on April 9th, 1917. Since 1937, in summertime (July and August) the Opera House moves to the 鈥楾erme di Caracalla鈥� (Caracalla鈥檚 Baths). Closed in 1993, for fear that the vibrations might somehow damage the archaeological structure, was reopened in 2003 with the blessing of the Roman opera lovers.
Information about the current season can be found on the
