Overview

Historic theater of Parma Opera House

Constructed at the request of Duchess Maria Luigia of Habsburg-Lorraine, wife of Napoleon, this theater was opened on May 16, 1829 with Zaira, an opera by Vincenzo Bellini. Considered a theater of excellence in the opera tradition, today, Teatro Regio di Parma is among the most important in Italy. From the Neoclassical façade to the elegance of its interiors adorned with gilded stucco, you arrive in the auditorium, the heart of the building, topped by the ceiling painted by Giovan Battista Borghesi where you’ll see the "astrolampo" hanging - a large gilded bronze chandelier forged by the Lacarrière workshops in Paris. The painted curtain is also by Borghesi and is one of the few examples that has survived. Above, a "light" clock, marking the time every five minutes, is placed in the center of the proscenium lintel. The acoustic chamber, painted by Giuseppe Carmignani, echoes the decorations of the boxes and consists of telescopically modular panels to support a wide variety of orchestral ensembles.

In addition to the usual opera season, the ballet season with ParmaDanza and the concert season, the theater offers the Festival Verdi with a calendar full of events and performances dedicated to Giuseppe Verdi every year. There are many parallel activities, from the Regio Young, dedicated to schools and families, to the Alta Sartoria Training Course, to the Accademia Verdiana, dedicated to new opera talents. There are interesting guided tours to discover the history of the theater, its world and its initiatives.