The first commercial
opera in
Venice 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 until the 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]
All the main Venetian theatres were owned by important patrician families, combining business with pleasure in a city of crowded and competitive theatrical culture. When most opera in Europe was still being put on by courts, "economic prospects and a desire for exhibitionistic display", as well a decline in their traditional overseas trading, attracted the best Venetian families to invest in the theatre during the 17th century.[2] Europe's first dedicated public and commercial opera house was the
Teatro Tron from 1637.
The
Grimani, with whom the
Vendramin often inter-married, were dominant, owning what is now called the
Teatro Malibran, then called the Teatro San Giovanni Grisostomo, as well as the
Teatro San Benedetto and other houses. The
Veniers owned
La Fenice, still the main opera house.
Still open today
La Fenice – Venice's leading opera house. The first theatre was built in 1792 and the current structure opened in 2003.[3]
Teatro Goldoni 1622–present. Originally the Teatro
Vendramin di San Salvador (in
Venetian dialect)[4] or Teatro San Salvatore, 1622, renamed Teatro San Luca, then Teatro Apollo in 1833, and from 1875 til now Teatro Goldoni, today home to a theatre company Teatro Stabile di Veneto "Carlo Goldoni".[5]
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 Benedetto 1755–?. Another theatre of the Grimani family, built 1755, burned down 1774, rebuilt. Later "called Teatro Gallo after its proprietor" (Murray, 1860)[12] 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).