Italy’s 6 finest theatres

Theatre in Italy has ancient roots, developing during the early Renaissance with the Commedia dell’arte (comedy of artists) – improvised performances that took place in streets and market places.

Fast forward to the present day, and this theatrical tradition is still going strong. Visitors can witness spectacular shows in historic opera houses all over the country – here are six of the best for theatre-loving travellers.

Teatro La Fenice, Venice

Appropriately named La Fenice (the Phoenix), this Venetian theatre has burned down and risen again from the flames three times since it first opened in 1792. Recently renovated and restored to all its original grandeur and glory, its interior is fantastically decadent; picture delicate, duck egg blue ceiling frescoes, lots of gold stucco and a giant, fairy-tale crystal chandelier. Stay just a few hundred metres from La Fenice, in a bright apartment at Ad Lofts.

Teatro di San Carlo, Naples

The oldest opera house in Italy (it opened in 1737), the hallowed halls of Naples’ Teatro di San Carlo are visually and acoustically impressive in equal parts. The theatre’s current incarnation was designed by Antonio NIccolini after the building burnt down in 1816, and is an architectural masterpiece. If you’re unable to catch a performance, there are 45-minute guided tours available for you to admire its six storeys of boxes in a horseshoe shape, all upholstered in red velvet and adorned with gold leaf, as well as the glittering foyer and main hall. Stay in a suite with a balcony looking out onto the Piazza del Plebiscito, just metres from the Teatro di San Carlo, at B&B Dell’Opera.

Teatro Alla Scala, Milan

One of the world’s most famous and storied opera houses, Milan’s Teatro Alla Scala (more commonly known as La Scala) is worth a visit even if you don’t make it for an evening’s performance; it has a bookshop, bar and an in-house museum displaying costumes, set design pieces and portraits of the most famous singers to have performed here. Since its inauguration in 1778, La Scala’s stage has been graced by opera’s biggest names, and has debuted the work of Verdi, Puccini and Rossini, to name a few. Getting your hands on a ticket can be tricky and while the opera the season only runs from early December to July, you can see theatre, ballet and concerts year-round, sitting beneath enormous chandeliers in red velvet chairs bordered by row upon row of ornate, private boxes. Check into Milan Royal Suites – Centro Duomo, just ten minutes’ walk from La Scala.

Teatro Comunale, Bologna

Built by revered Italian architect, Antonio Galli Bibbiena, the extraordinary baroque Teatro Comunale is one of Bologna’s greatest treasures. Inaugurated in 1763 with the premiere of Gluck’s The Triumph of Cloelia, it was the first publicly-funded opera house in the world, although its bell-shaped auditorium and celestial trompe l’oeil ceiling were only half finished when the curtains rose on its opening night. Now visitors can admire the fully-complete opera house by attending a performance in season (November to April) or take a tour followed by a drink while watching the street performers in the Piazza Verdi outside. Stay just opposite the Teatro Comunale at Casa Ilaria.

Teatro Massimo, Palermo

The biggest opera house in Italy, Sicily’s Teatro Massimo is grand on another scale. Its neoclassical, sandstone exterior resembles a Roman temple and was made famous as the location for filming the final scenes of The Godfather: Part III. But its acoustics and diverse programme are the real draw today. Check out a year-round performance or take a tour including a rooftop climb for a panoramic view of Palermo. Draw your curtains in the morning to see the Teatro Massimo up close from your bedroom window at the Massimo Plaza Hotel.

Arena di Verona, Verona

Although not technically an opera house, the Arena di Verona is a splendid setting where you can enjoy all sorts of musical performances throughout the summer. Built in the 1st century AD, this monumental stone structure was the site of gladiator battles, bull-runnings and public executions centuries before it became a musical venue. Watching an opera al fresco with a backdrop of glittering candles being waved by the audience is an unmissable experience. The open-air season starts in June but you can take a tour of this remarkably well-preserved, ancient architectural marvel throughout the year. Stay just opposite the Arena in a historic building once owned by world-renowned tenor Giovanni Zenatello, at Hotel Accademia.