Venezia: Teatro La Fenice

Country: Italy (Italia)
Region: Veneto
City: Venezia

Named after the mythical Arabian bird, Phoenix, which is said to set fire to itself and rise anew from the ashes every 500 years.

Built 1789-1792 by Giovanni Antonio Selva for the "Nobile Società", replacing the Teatro San Benedetto (demolished by a fire on 1774). Auditorium decoration by Francesco Fontanesio. Opened 16 May 1792 with Paisiello's "I giuocchi d'Agrigento". 1808 redecoration of auditorium by Giuseppe Borsato, addition of an "Imperial Box" in honour of Napoleon I. 1836 destruction of the auditorium by a fire. 1836-1837 rebuilding to Selva's plans by Tommaso Meduna and Giambattista Meduna. Auditorium decoration by Sebastiano Santi in Empire style. Re-opened 26 December 1837. 1848 destruction of the "Imperial Box" by rebels (restored 1849). 1854 redecoration of the auditorium in Baroque style by the Meduna brothers. 1878 modernization of stagehouse by Cadorin. 1937 modernization of stage technology and redecoration of the auditorium and foyers by Eugene Miozzi. 1996 completely destroyed by a fire during construction works. After years of half-hearted attempts to rebuild the theatre, accompanied by a series of political and financial scandals, finally reconstructed until 2003. Re-opened for concerts and other events on 14 Dec 2003 with a gala concert. Re-opening for a regular opera season planned for 2004/2005.

Notable world premieres:

  • Gioacchino Rossini: Tancredi (6 Feb 1813)
  • Gioacchino Rossini: Semiramide (3 Feb 1823)
  • Giacomo Meyerbeer: Il Crociato in Egitto (1824)
  • Vincenzo Bellini: I Capuleti e i Montecchi (11 Mar 1830)
  • Vincenzo Bellini: Beatrice di Tenda (16 Mar 1833)
  • Gaetano Donizetti: Belisario (4 Feb 1836)
  • Gaetano Donizetti: Maria di Rudenz 30 Jan (1838)
  • Giuseppe Verdi: Ernani (9 Mar 1844)
  • Giuseppe Verdi: Attila (17 Mar 1846)
  • Giuseppe Verdi: Rigoletto (11 Mar 1851)
  • Giuseppe Verdi: La Traviata (6 Mar 1853)
  • Giuseppe Verdi: Simon Boccanegra (12 Mar 1857)
  • Ruggero Leoncvallo: La Bohème (6 May 1897)
  • Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Gli amanti sposi (19 Feb 1925)
  • Igor Stravinsky: The Rake's Progress (11 Sep 1951)
  • Benjamin Britten: The Turn of the Screw (14 Sep 1954)
  • Sergei Prokofiev: L'Ange de feu (29 Sep 1955)
  • Luigi Nono: Intolleranza 1960 (13 Apr 1961)
  • Bruno Maderna: Hyperion (6 Sep 1964)

Link: www.teatrolafenice.it

[Venezia: Teatro La Fenice] Reverse Text: "Venezia - Interno del Teatro 'La Fenice' - Intérieru du Theatre 'La Fenice' - Interior of Theatre 'La Fenice' - Inneres des Theater 'La Fenice'" [sic!]
Publisher: Ediz. Ardo, Venezia; 110
Size: Modern
Sent: from Venezia to Trieste, 1962

[Venezia: Teatro La Fenice] Front Text: "Venezia"
Reverse Text: "Venezia, Teatro La Fenice"
Publisher: Florentia Minor, Fiesole
Size: Modern
Not sent.

[Venezia: Teatro La Fenice] Picture: during the 1996 fire
Reverse Text: "Venezia - Gran Teatro La Fenice - costruito nel 1792 (Arch. Selva) - ricostruito nel 1837 dopo l'incendio - importanti restauri nel 1854 (Arch. Meduna) - distrutta dalle fiamme nel 1996"
Publisher: Filippi Editore
Size: 16.4 x 12.1 cm
Not sent.

[Venezia: Teatro La Fenice] Picture: during the 1996 fire
Reverse Text: "Venezia - Gran Teatro La Fenice - costruito nel 1792 (Arch. Selva) - ricostruito nel 1837 dopo l'incendio - importanti restauri nel 1854 (Arch. Meduna) - distrutta dalle fiamme nel 1996"
Publisher: Filippi Editore
Size: 16.4 x 12.1 cm
Not sent.

[Venezia: Teatro La Fenice] Picture: left: painting of the 1836 fire (?), middle: auditorium, right: score by Luciano Berio, extreme right: Luciano Berio, right below: Luciano Berio's signature
Front Text: "Komm in meine Nähe, auch wenn Du ein Messer hast, um mich zu verwunden. - Aus 'Coro'" [text from Berio's 'Coro']
Reverse Text: "Benefizkonzerte zum Wiederaufbau der Oper von Venedig 'La Fenice' in der Kölner Philharmonie" [benefit concerts for the rebuilding of the opera of Venezia, 'La Fenice', at the Köln Philharmonie], plus concert schedule (featuring Berio's 'Coro') and ticket information
Publisher: Pickup Advertising - WDR Köln
Type: Advertisement Card
Size: Modern
Not sent.

[Venezia: Teatro La Fenice] Picture: after the 2003 reconstruction; view from the stage to the auditorium
Reverse Text: "Il Teatro riconstruito. Scorcio della sala con la buca dell'orchestra. The Theatre reconstructed. View of the auditorium with the orchestra pit"
Publisher: M. Crosera; Teatro La Fenice; L'Artegrafica
Size: 16.8 x 11.9 cm
Sent: from Padova to Ravensburg (Germany), 2004


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