LA FENICE THEATER, History

Hi, I'm Debbie, your personal guide. Together with MyWoWo, I'd like to welcome you to one of the wonders of the world.

Today I'll accompany you through the Fenice Theater.

This theater is one of the most beautiful opera houses in the world!

Even if you've never been here before, you'll probably already recognize the interior of this historic building from the fantastic New Year's concerts broadcast on TV. 

If it's true that fate is in a name, the story of this theater is certainly represented by the phoenix, the mythical bird that is continuously reborn from its ashes!

You should know that the Venetians have always had a great passion for the stage, so much so that a law was required to set a limit to the number of theaters: in fact, in the days of the Republic of Venice, the theaters were a favorite spot for meetings, entertainment, and also for economic and trade relations.

The Fenice Theater was inaugurated towards the end of the 18th century, and since then its simple but elegant Neoclassical façade has become one of the landmarks for music lovers. Initially, the theater could hold an impressive 1,500 spectators among the orchestra, four tiers of boxes, and gallery, but the capacity was reduced later on for safety reasons. In the mid-1800s after a fire caused by a stove, the theater was rebuilt with new decor that was rich with gilding, mirrors, and paintings. 

Over time the Fenice was restored many times, but as you may remember, a recent fire totally destroyed it for the second time in January 1996, leaving almost only the outer walls standing. It took almost eight years to rebuild it "as it was and where it was". The legendary reopening took place in December 2003, with a concert led by the famous maestro Riccardo Muti.

FUN FACT:    the causes of the dramatic fire of 1996 are so absurd that you'll hardly believe it. Two electricians were running behind with their maintenance schedule, and wanted to delay the completion of the works. The fire got completely out of control. They were convicted of arson (one of the two had fled to Brazil in the meantime!), arrested, and sentenced to several years in prison.

And with this we have finished our tour of The Fenice Theater in Venice: MyWoWo thanks you for staying with us, and will see you at the next Wonder of the World!