Art is everywhere in Italy. You can see it, touch it, and even listen to it. Here are some of the most incredible theaters not to miss in Tuscany:
Gran Teatro Puccini
This one-of-a-kind open-air opera festival highlights the Master Giacomo Puccini by inviting thousands of visitors a year to experience his operas performed in the very places that inspired his work. The 3,400-seat open-air Grand Theater, with the evocative backdrop of Lake of Massaciuccoli, will be also in 2023 the natural setting for productions of Puccini’s operas. The theater is located a few steps from the Villa Mausoleum, where Puccini used to live, composed his immortal works, and is now buried. The Puccini Festival of Torre del Lago confirms itself, once again, as one of Italy’s most awaited cultural events in Italy.
Teatro del Silenzio
The Teatro del Silenzio (Theatre of Silence) is another open-air amphitheater in Tuscany, nestled among the hills near the village of Lajatico, hometown of internationally beloved singer Andrea Bocelli. Honorary president of the theater, Bocelli performs an annual concert here with guest artists once a year. The 2023 concert will take place on July 27-29.
This beautiful, soulful outdoor space - dedicated to music- comes to life each year thanks to the collaboration of architect Alberto Bartalini. Built to utilize the slopes of a natural amphitheater located in the hills of the upper Valdera, the structure and its surroundings allow one to experience nothing but the natural sounds of birds and whispers of the breeze throughout the rest of the year after each concert. The spare scenography, intended to showcase the surrounding landscape, includes wonderful sculptures by artists such as Igor Mitoraj. After the pandemic, in 2020, the Bocelli remarked, “Playing after a stop is like finding your soul again.” Beyond the need to celebrate his roots, Andrea created a place where the star this time, instead of his voice, is silence.
Teatrino di Vetriano
Originally, this ancient place was a barn on a hillside in the province of Lucca. After being transformed into a theater in the late 19th century, it is now a historic public theater listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the world’s smallest. The theater was donated to FAI, the Italian National Trust, by the Biagioni family and entrusted on a loan-for-use basis by the Municipality of Pescaglia in 1997. It measures only 764 square feet and contains 60 seats in the stalls and 20 on two tiers of balconies.
As the FAI website reports: “Thanks to the hard work of the local people, the theater was constructed in just one year, and in 1890 the stage, framed by Neoclassical decorations, was used for the theater’s first plays, which were mostly works in verse and musical comedies, often written and acted out by the inhabitants themselves who, to attend the performances, often had to bring their own chairs with them. The schedule was soon filled, and the little theater became a dramatic hub for the entire area.”A moving story about an era in love with neo-realistic dramas.
Teatro del Giglio
This flagship building of the city of Lucca is one of the oldest public theaters in Italy. Teatro del Giglio is located in the square that shares its name (giglio means “lily”), a few feet from the Palazzo Ducale in piazza Napoleon. The auditorium, boxes, and gallery can hold more than 700 fans of opera and other classical music. Built in the mid-17th century as a public theater, the name derived from the golden-lily decorated coat of arms of Marie Louise of Bourbon, then Duchess of Lucca, and her Bourbon family. The most important renovation work was carried out from 1817 to 1819 by architect Giovanni Lazzarini. The first great success came in 1831 with the opera William Tell by Gioachino Rossi, conducted by Niccolò Paganini. The theater is also famous for Maestro Giacomo Puccini, who personally managed the staging of several of his operas here.
Teatro Della Pergola
No need to tell you how many things you can see and do when in Florence. But, we advise you to pay a visit and listen to a concert at Teatro della Pergola, the charming theater that takes us back to the days of Mozart and other masters of classical music. The white and gold decor provides an enchanting opportunity to listen to great concerts by the famous performers of Orchestra del Maggio Fiorentino (Florentine’s May Orchestra). Reservations are requested for concerts that offer the perfect getaway from the usual tourist attractions and the gift of an authentic Florentine evening.
Barbara Benzoni
Barbara Benzoni was born in Milan and lives between Rome and Tuscany. She is devoted to USA, the land of courage and innovation. She’s Peter's super-lucky mum and Ale's wife. Cinema, art, good food and only beautiful things are the themes of her existence. With a degree in Italian literature and a Masters in Sports Management she can both enjoys books and basketball matches. In 25 years she has been organizing sport events all over the world and she’s been lucky enough to meet the greatest champs ever. Curiosity in everyday life and people are her drivers. Her personal icon is Mohammed Ali : "It's not bragging if you can back it up".