One of the most beautiful theaters celebrates its birthday today not only of Venezia, but of the whole Peninsula. We are talking about the La Fenice Opera House, inaugurated on May 16, 226 years ago. Rebuilt several times, it is considered one of the most important in all of Europe. Since its foundation it has hosted numerous opera and symphonic seasons, also becoming the seat of the International Festival of Contemporary Music.
A birth marked by the court
The story behind the La Fenice Theater in Venice is very special and begins with a judicial dispute. In the second half of the eighteenth century in the Venetian city there were seven functioning theaters: two dedicated to drama, the remaining five to music. Among these stood out the San Benedetto Theater, now known as Rossini. Particularly elegant and with a regular audience of a certain thickness, it was partly destroyed from a violent fire in 1773. Rebuilt soon after, the company owning the structure (Noble Society of Palchettisti) had to face the demands of the family Venier, who owned part of the land where the theater was located. The court agreed with the Veniers, forcing the Palchettisti to sell the complex.
But often from misfortunes, as history teaches us, one can be reborn more beautiful and stronger than before. So it was for the Noble Society who decided to build another larger, more elegant and more luxurious theater in another area of the city. The name chosen for this structure, not surprisingly, was The Phoenix precisely to symbolize the rebirth of society after the small legal troubles.
The success of the Teatro La Fenice
Almost thirty projects were presented for the construction of the new theater, which had to respect different - and curious - criteria: five tiers of boxes, fire-fighting systems and easily accessible escape routes and an entrance for ... gondola. It was the architect who won Giannantonio Selva who proposed a noble design, but at the same time discreet, in full harmony with Venetian urban planning. After the preliminary stages, work began in 1790 and ended in April 1792. A month later, the 16 may 1792, the Teatro La Fenice was inaugurated with the opera The games of Agrigento, of Giovanni Paisiello e Alexander Pepoli. The chronicler of the Venetian Urban Gazette wrote about the new theater that «… It had all the requisites for a great effect: clarity of colors, harmony, solidity and lightness».
Over the years, the theater became increasingly important in the international theater scene. Rossini, Bellini e Donizetti - just to mention the most famous - they wrote some of their most famous works for La Fenice. Then, in 1836, the disastrous event: a fire destroyed part of the structure. But without losing heart, the owners decided to rebuild it by improving some sections. Thus, after a year, La Fenice rose again, taking back the world stage.
A story of events, shows and… fires
Over time, internationally renowned artists continued to follow one another, and the theater became one of the Venetian symbols in the world. Several restoration interventions preserved the complex, who always kept his being noble, but never vulgar. Between the two world wars, numerous prestigious events raised La Fenice to an icon of opera music, and more. In 1930, in fact, on the occasion of the Venice Biennale was chosen as the seat of International Festival of Contemporary Music. Even after the Second World War, the theater was able to maintain its reputation. Finally, in 1996 yet another fire which destroyed the structure again. But the Venetians were able to face the misfortune by rebuilding one more time as it was, where it was because no matter how hard you try, a Phoenix will always find a way to rise again and show the world its beauty.
