Teatro Regio (Turin) facts for kids
 |
|
| Address | Turin, Piedmont Italy |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 45°4′14″N 7°41′16″E / 45.07056°N 7.68778°E |
| Owner | City of Turin |
| Designation | Opera house |
| Capacity | 1500 |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 1740 |
| Reopened |
|
| Architect |
|
The Teatro Regio (which means Royal Theatre) is a famous opera house in Turin, Italy. It's a place where people go to watch amazing opera shows. The theatre's season usually runs from October to June. During this time, they put on about eight or nine different operas, with each one performed many times.
People in Turin had been watching operas since the mid-1500s. But it wasn't until 1713 that they thought about building a special opera house. A famous architect named Filippo Juvarra started planning it. However, he passed away before construction began.
The first stone was laid in 1738 under King Charles Emmanuel III. Another architect, Benedetto Alfieri, took over the work. The theatre was finished and decorated by Bernardino Galliari.
A very famous opera, La Bohème by Giacomo Puccini, had its first-ever performance here in 1896.
Contents
The First Teatro Regio: 1740 to 1936
The original Teatro Regio opened its doors on December 26, 1740. The first show was an opera called Arsace by Francesco Feo. It was a truly grand building! It could seat 1,500 people. There were also 139 private boxes spread across five levels, plus a gallery.
In 1792, the theatre was closed by royal order. It was even used as a warehouse for a while! When the French army took over Turin during the Napoleonic War, the theatre's name changed. It became the Teatro Nazionale (National Theatre). Later, when Napoleon became Emperor, it was renamed the Teatro Imperiale (Imperial Theatre).
After Napoleon's power ended in 1814, the theatre got its original name back: Regio. Over the next few years, the opera house faced money problems. The city of Turin took it over in 1870 to help keep it running.
Other theatres in Turin also put on operas. One of these was the Teatro Carignano, which was rebuilt in 1824. The city bought this theatre too in 1932. After the Teatro Regio burned down, the Carignano became the main opera house. It served this role until the Regio reopened in 1973.
Even before the fire, people in Turin were discussing what to do with the Regio. Should they rebuild it or create a brand new theatre? Two plans were suggested. The chosen plan made the theatre much bigger. It removed the fourth and fifth levels of boxes. This created a huge open seating area. This work was finished in 1905.
The theatre closed during First World War but reopened in 1919. Opera seasons continued until February 1936. A terrible fire destroyed almost everything except the front wall of the Teatro Regio. It stayed closed for 37 years. A famous conductor named Arturo Toscanini led the Turin Opera from 1895 to 1898. During his time, several operas by Richard Wagner were performed in Italy for the first time.
The Rebuilt Teatro Regio: After 1973
After the fire, a competition was held to find a new architect. But because of World War II and money problems, construction didn't start right away. The first stone for the new building was laid on September 25, 1963. Real work began in September 1967 with architect Carlo Mollino.
The rebuilt theatre has a very modern inside design. But it still keeps its original front wall. It officially opened on April 10, 1973. The first show was an opera by Giuseppe Verdi called I vespri siciliani. It was directed by famous singers Maria Callas and Giuseppe Di Stefano.
The new theatre can seat 1,750 people. It has an oval shape with a large main floor. There are also 37 private boxes around the edges. A special sound shell was added to make the music sound even better.
The theatre puts on many different kinds of operas. This includes newer works. However, in recent years, they have focused more on popular 19th-century operas. This is partly due to money challenges.
The Unique Facade
The outside front of the building is made of brick. It has a very special pattern. The bricks are cut in a unique way to create a pattern of stars. It looks like the stars are overlapping, almost like fish scales. This is a clever trick! The wall is actually straight. The shadows from the bricks sticking out make it look like it's curving. This complex pattern makes the illusion even stronger.
The front of the Teatro Regio is one of the buildings in Piedmont that is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This means it's a very important place that is protected for future generations.
See also
In Spanish: Teatro Regio (Turín) para niños
- Category:Opera world premieres at the Teatro Regio (Turin)
