The Teatro Regio di Parma was built from 1821 as the Nuovo Teatro Ducale under Duchess Marie Louise, Napoleon's second wife, to designs by Nicola Bettoli, and opened on 16 May 1829 with the premiere of Bellini's Zaira. Its Neoclassical facade with Ionic columns remains unchanged; the interior was redecorated in red and gold in 1853 under Duke Charles III, with ceiling frescoes by Giovan Battista Borghesi. The 1,400-seat auditorium has four tiers of boxes topped by a gallery. The house has carried its present name since the unification of Italy in 1861. It is closely linked to Giuseppe Verdi, born near Busseto some 30 kilometres away: since 1843 the Regio has staged every one of his operas, and since 2003 it has held the Festival Verdi each October. Its audience has a reputation for being particularly demanding.
The Teatro Regio di Parma, opened in 1829, is considered the secret capital of Verdi cultivation — Giuseppe Verdi was born near Parma, and the annual Festival Verdi cultivates his work in its original climate.
At a glance
- Type
- Opera house
- Location
- Parma, Italy
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