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The Teatro di San Carlo in Naples

19th January 2007

The San Carlo Theatre in Naples is the oldest working theatre in Europe, and is one of the most important cultural centres in the history of the continent.

Over the course of its long history the venue has functioned as a theatre, an opera house and a ballet school. Famous names associated with the San Carlo include Rossini, who was the house composer from 1815 to 1822, and Verdi, who wrote his first opera for the Theatre.

Originally built on the decree of King Charles of Bourbon in the 18th century, the Theatre has now held performances for almost 270 years. The venue's 3,300 seats made it the biggest opera house in the world at the time.

The San Carlo is famed for its commitment to dramatic performance, having continued holding events during both the Second World War and a major fire at the venue in 1816. When the Theatre was bombed during the summer of 1943 the Allies' efforts meant it opened in time for the winter season later in the year on December 16th.

Current productions include Leonard Bernstein's Candide and Tchaikovsky's Onegin. The Theatre honours two of its most famous associates in the summer with performances of La Traviata by Verdi and Rossini's Torvaldo e Dorliska. A consistently impressive dramatic calendar means visitors to Naples should not miss a trip to the San Carlo Theatre.

© Adfero Ltd

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