Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
TOP SIGHT
TEATRO LA FENICE
Once La Serenissima's dominion over the high seas ended, Venice discovered the
power of high Cs, hiring as San Marco choirmaster Claudio Monteverdi, the father of
modern opera, and opening La Fenice (The Phoenix) opera house to much fanfare in
1792. The building burned down twice, but international reputations are still made on
La Fenice's stage.
Fires & Rebuilding
Rossini and Bellini staged operas here, making La Fenice the envy of Europe - until it
went up in flames in 1836. Venice without opera was unthinkable, and within a year the op-
era house was rebuilt. Verdi premiered
Rigoletto
and
La Traviata
at La Fenice, and interna-
tional greats Stravinsky, Prokofiev and Britten composed for the house. But La Fenice was
again reduced to ashes in 1996; two electricians found guilty of arson were apparently be-
hind on repairs. A €90-million replica of the 19th-century opera house reopened in 2003,
and though architectural reviews were mixed - critics had lobbied for an avant-garde
design by Gae Aulenti - the reprise performance of
La Traviata
was a triumph.
Opera Season
From January to July and September to October, you'll spot opera fans in rustling silks and
patched corduroy jackets loitering on La Fenice's steps with glasses of
prosecco
- until the
curtains-up signal dings, and the crowd sweeps up the grand stairway in time for the over-
ture. Tours are possible with advance booking ( 041 24 24), but the best way to see La
Fenice is in full swing with the
loggione,
opera buffs who pass judgement from on high in
the top-tier cheap seats. With limited runs of bravura performances and a snug 900-seat
venue, tickets sell out faster than you can say 'Bravo!' Book ahead online for performances
and tours.
Off Season
Between operas, the theatre hosts symphonies and lavish events, ranging from gala Carne-
vale balls to star-studded private events like the 2009 wedding of luxury-fashion magnate
François-Henri Pinault to actress Salma Hayek. Check also for chamber-music concerts at
La Fenice or operas staged at the charming, diminutive 17th-century Teatro Malibran.
