Verdi Theatre of Pisa

The Verdi Theater, inaugurated in 1867, is the main theater in Pisa and one of the most important in Tuscany. Recognized as a Theater of Tradition since 1967, since 2002 it has been managed by the Teatro di Pisa Foundation, born from the transformation of the previous Association of the same name.

Info

Theaters of Tradition
Manager: Pisa Theater Foundation
From the year 1867
President: Patrizia Paoletti Tangheroni

The Theater of Pisa, as Theater of Tradition according to the law 800/1967, it has its focal point in musical productions, divided into opera, dance and concert seasons. The program also includes a prose program and an Educational sector.

Over the years, the Verdi Theater has taken on its own physiognomy characterized by polythesis and interdisciplinarity, with the aim of responding to a diversified demand, attracting new spectators and contributing to the cultural growth of the city. With this in mind, the Teatro di Pisa Foundation has activated a network strategy with other cultural realities of the territory: to be mentioned in particular the synergy with the Goldoni Theater of Livorno and the Teatro del Giglio of Lucca for the opera production and the multi-year collaboration with the Scuola Normale Superiore for its concert season.

The Theater of Pisa also carries out a service function by hosting conferences, cultural and entertainment initiatives promoted by local bodies, associations, university institutes and other city realities, and by making its wealth of professionalism and competence available to the territory.

The Verdi Theater program Seasons of Opera, Dance, Concerts and Prose, generally characterized by a common thread that connects the different parts of the billboard.

The Opera Season presents productions and co-productions of titles from the great repertoire, without forgetting the baroque and contemporary opera. The music billboard, focused on Season of the Concerts of the Scuola Normale Superiore, includes further appointments with chamber music and jazz, while the Dance season, created in collaboration with the Toscana Spettacolo Foundation, focuses on the balance between classical dance, contemporary dance and theatrical dance. The program is completed by the Theater Season scheduled in concert with the Toscana Spettacolo Foundation.

The training sector is also relevant, with LTL Opera Studio (training, specialization and specialization project for young singers and master collaborators promoted by the theaters of Livorno, Lucca and Pisa); To dotheater (cycle of lessons, refresher courses, seminars, workshops on theatrical and musical themes for students and teachers, and courses and seminars for academics and adults) and Before the European Theater-School for the Art of the Actor.

The birth of the theater

Since 1830 in Pisa the idea of building a new theatre was taking shape, which could bring prestige to the city and act as a showcase for the new establishment then emerging, replacing the old one. Theater of the Revives now inadequate. The project took shape only in 1864, with the establishment of a promoting council, which indicates the model to follow in the Teatro alla Pergola in Florence.

A competition was announced in July 1864, and after various events the general meeting of shareholders in February 1865 appointed Andrea Scala architect of the theatre and construction began on 26 April of the same year. During the construction, Scala was relieved of his duties and the completion works were entrusted to Joseph Giardi for the interiors, while the self-supporting dome that overlooks the stalls was designed by Ranieri Simonelli, architect and very active Pisan politician, among the promoters of the initiative.

The inauguration of the Royal New Theater - so called in homage to the King of Italy - took place on the evening of 12 November 1867 with the opera WilliamTell by Rossini. In 1904 the theater was named after Giuseppe Verdi.