Teatro Carlo Felice
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The Teatro Carlo Felice is the principal opera hall of Genoa, Italy, used for performances of opera, ballet, orchestral music, and recitals. It is located on the piazza De Ferrari.
The hall is named for Duke Carlo Felice, and dates to December 24, 1824, when the Most Excellent Department of Theatres was established. On January 31, 1825, architect Carlo Barabino submitted his design. The hall was inaugurated on April 7, 1828, even though the structure and its decoration were not quite finished. It accommodated an audience of about 2,500 in five floors (each with 33 boxes), a gallery above, and standing room in the orchestra pit. The acoustics were considered among the best of the time.
The old hall was altered many times in the years 1859-1934, but then suffered complete destruction from incendiary bombs in World War II. Reconstruction plans began immediately after war's close. The first design by Paolo Antonio Chessa (1951) was rejected; the second by Carlo Scarpa was approved in 1977 but brought to a halt by his untimely death. Aldo Rossi ultimately provided today's design, in which portions of the original facade have been recreated but the interior is entirely modern. The hall officially reopened in June 1991, with a main hall holding up to 2,000 seats and an auditorium holding up to 200 seats.
