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 Le Marche is also the land of theatres hosting as it does over 70 up and running historic venues as well as many more scheduled to be reopened after their restoration is completed, quite remarkable for a region with a population of just one million and a half ! The buildings range from massive open-air arenas such as the Macerata Sferisterio, to the tiny theatres found in just about every small town. Established as a result of a cultural boom back in the late 1700s Le Marche's theatres have always been the pride and joy of its people and a popular diversion before television and cinema got the upper hand. Ascoli Piceno's Teatro Ventidio Basso, Fermo's Teatro dell'Aquila, Fano's Teatro della Fortuna, Jesi's Teatro Pergolesi just to name a few are all outstanding. Also not to be missed:
Ancona’s plaza-like Teatro delle Muse features a neoclassical façade, stunning modern interior design, cutting-edge technology, and an artistically significant fireproof curtain by the renowned artist Valeriano Trubbiani.
Pesaro's Teatro Rossini, inaugurated in 1818 with a performance of Gioacchino Rossini's La gazza ladra conducted by the great composer himself, seats 860, has an auditorium designed in the classic horseshoe shape with four tiers of boxes plus gallery. After a long restoration it reopened again in 1980 – for the premiere Rossini Opera Festival. It has been the venue for the traditional summer festival ever since.
Macerata’s Sferisterio was started in 1820 and opened nine years later. The unique shape of the building –a playing field, a supporting wall, boxes and balconies– was perfect to play such games as ball and bangle or for bull fighting, which were popular pastimes at the time of the Papal State. A series of fifty-six doric columns with attic base span across the royal stage, supporting the boxes and ending in the stone terrace which beautifully crowns the whole structure. This magnificent building has absolutely perfect acoustics which makes it ideal for opera. The Sferisterio Opera Festival is held every summer and performances start at nine in the evening, so as to allow the spectators to enjoy the spectacular view of dusk turning to night. |