What is there
to see?

Opulence, gold and splendour as far as the eye could see! Heavy chandeliers hung from the ceiling, stucco and frescoes decorated the walls, and red carpets lay over the wide staircases. The interior decorations were incredibly detailed and truly reflected the theatre’s historical character.

The most impressive feature was certainly the royal box—and its history:
Venice was once one of the four maritime republics. However, there was “only” a Doge, not a king. This Doge had no special box; his power was more symbolic.

In 1797, Napoleon Bonaparte conquered Venice and ended the Republic. This changed the city’s political structure. The Church and the nobility lost influence, and Napoleon introduced a new administration. In the opera house, he received an imperial box.

In 1848, this box was converted back into the original six boxes. But just one year later, in 1849, it became an imperial box again—because Venice was once more an empire, belonging to the Austrian Empire. Under Emperor Franz Joseph I, Venice remained part of the empire until 1866, when it became part of the Kingdom of Italy. At that point, the imperial box was enlarged, lavishly decorated, and ultimately renamed the royal box.

Architectural description:
On the walls, mirrors—popular and typical in the Baroque period—were installed to create a gallery effect, making the space appear endless. In total, there were 166 boxes.

The ceiling in the auditorium also gave the impression of infinity. It was not vaulted, even though it looked that way at first (and second, and perhaps even third) glance. The illusion came from painted circles in soft shades of sky blue. The chandeliers were made of gilded brass, while the decorative leaves were crafted from papier-mâché and covered with gold leaf.

The stage, measuring 50.11 m², was movable and could be adjusted by up to three metres in height—though in reality more “depth-adjustable”, since the orchestra was located below. Depending on whether the orchestra was positioned higher or lower, there was more or less room for the audience or for performances (stage space). In total, the theatre had a maximum of 1,126 seats.

Alongside the royal box, the main auditorium, the grand foyer and the sweeping staircases, there were also other rooms used for performances. The Apollinee Halls—named after the Apollo decorations inside—were particularly popular for concerts. Everything shone with its former splendour, while the acoustics resonated with state-of-the-art technology.

On some days, rehearsals take place in the opera house. When we at museos visited the Teatro La Fenice, we were lucky enough to watch a rehearsal. Photography, however, was not allowed! Luckily, I had hurried, deciding to enjoy my aperitivo afterwards—otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to take any photos or videos at all!