Venice has much to tell about its theaters. For centuries the city has hosted some of the most important and influential theaters in Europe, offering the public high quality repertoire of a great artistic value. Even today, theaters play a fundamental role in Venice’s lively cultural ferment and, on the occasion of the World Theater Day, we would like to walk you through the most famous ones.

Gran Teatro La Fenice

Venice’s Gran Teatro La Fenice is one of the most iconic and prestigious stages in the entertainment world. It’s a place of timeless charm with a very troubled history: it was built in 1792 and destroyed twice by a fire, the first in 1836 and the second in 1996. But like a phoenix reborn from its own ashes, the theater has always returned to its original splendor.

The stunning decorations in neoclassical style and the impeccable acoustics make the Gran Teatro La Fenice a must-see, either as a visitor or as a spectator of its numerous events. Its varied repertoire ranges from classical music to opera, from ballet to contemporary theater.

Among the artists who have performed on this stage are great names such as Maria Callas, Arturo Toscanini, Luciano Pavarotti, Anna Netrebko.

Teatro Stabile del Veneto Carlo Goldoni

It would have been truly unfair if Venice had no theater dedicated to Carlo Goldoni, one of the fathers of modern comedy and also famous for his works in Venetian.

Built in 1622 at the behest of the Vendramin family, the Carlo Goldoni theater is the oldest existing theater in Venice. In 1653 it was destroyed by a terrible fire and subsequently rebuilt. It is located in a privileged location, within walking distance of the Rialto Bridge. It had two other names before the current one: San Luca and Apollo. It was on 26 February 1875 that the theater was finally named after Carlo Goldoni.

Today the Teatro Goldoni, which has become the Teatro Stabile del Veneto Carlo Goldoni since 1947, offers a great variety of events with particular focus on young artists and the formation of tomorrow’s audience.

Teatro Malibran

The theater of San Giovanni Grisostomo was built in just four months at the end of 1677, on the spot where Marco Polo’s house originally stood. Although Venice already had quite many theaters, this one immediately conquered the Venetian public, acquiring great fame especially in the operatic field. It was defined as “the biggest, the most beautiful and the richest in the city” (J.C. de Cramailles, 1683), also by virtue of the grandeur of the architectural structure and the refinement of the decorations.

In the 19th century the theater was renovated and renamed after the famous singer Maria Malibran. In the contemporary era, Teatro Malibran’s program lives up to the prestige of its history. The stage regularly hosts some of the events of the Opera and Ballet Season and the Symphony Season of the Fenice. The program also includes experimental productions, a Baroque opera repertoire and prominent dance exhibitions.

The city of Venice is animated by a rich calendar of events and shows: visit the dedicated page to discover them all and start planning an unforgettable stay in the lagoon city!