Teatro La Fenice (“The Phoenix”) is an opera house and is one of “the most famous and renowned landmarks in the history of Italian theatre”, as well as in the history of opera as a whole. Especially in the 19th century, La Fenice became the site of many famous operatic premieres at which the works of several of the four major bel canto era composers – Rossini, Bellini, Donizetti, Verdi – were performed.
Its name reflects its role in permitting an opera company to “rise from the ashes” despite losing the use of three theatres to fire, the first in 1774 after the city’s leading house was destroyed and rebuilt but not opened until 1792; the second fire came in 1836, but rebuilding was completed within a year.
However, the third fire was the result of arson. It destroyed the house in 1996 leaving only the exterior walls, but it was rebuilt and re-opened in November 2004.
It has been rebuilt each time to appear the same as it did prior to each fire. So even though the most recent incarnation is fewer that 20 years old, La Fenice was rebuilt in 19th-century style on the basis of a design by architect Aldo Rossi who, in order to obtain details of its design, used still photographs from the opening scenes of Luchino Visconti’s film Senso (1954), which had been filmed in the house. “As it was, where it was”, was the motto for reconstruction of La Fenice.
Similar to the Palais Garnier in Paris, the ceiling has been painted to make it look like a dome despite being nearly flat.
The Royal Box has a place of honor in the house and it had a tormented existence, relating not only to the history of the opera house but also to the political and historic events of the city of Venice. It was built, dismantled, rebuilt, dismantled again several more times as Venice changed hands between monarchies and republics.
In the box is a set of infinity mirrors.
They reflect upon each other so that it appears as though the view extends to infinity.
Perhaps most compelling, Maria Callas, one of the biggest names in Opera history, became “Divina” in Venice. It was in 1949 at La Fenice that the singer, having to replace a sick soprano, learned in just five days her part in Verdi’s I Puritani and thus a star was born.
She is revered in Venice for that reason.
If you have the chance, there is a fascinating documentary about Maria Callas called “Callas by Maria”.
Even 40 years after her death she draws fans to anything and everything to do with her and La Fenice is celebrating her career with an exhibition.