Arena Sferisterio

Macerata's Sferisterio is a monumental neoclassical arena built for pallone col bracciale, a hand-ball game once popular in central Italy. Since the first opera performance in 1921, its vast wall and open-air setting have made it one of the country's distinctive summer opera venues.

Why it matters

The arena was built between 1820 and 1829 by the Cento Consorti, a society of local citizens, as a venue for games and public spectacles. Its semicircular plan and long, high wall proved well suited to performances. Opera seasons became permanent in 1967 and developed into the Macerata Opera Festival.

What to notice

The straight Neo-Palladian wall measures about eighteen metres high and eighty-eight metres long. Fifty-six columns support two orders of arcaded boxes, closed by a stone balustrade. The curved seating includes 104 private boxes. Three portals were cut into the rear wall in 1921 to allow scenery and choruses to move through the arena. The scale of the floor reflects its original use for ball games and later public events.

Context and history

Work began in 1820 from a preliminary design by city engineer Salvatore Innocenzi. In 1823 Ireneo Aleandri took over the project and gave the arena its definitive Palladian-inspired form; Innocenzi completed the work in 1829. The name Sferisterio refers to its original function as a ball court. The arena hosted football and tennis from 1909, followed by fairs and other spectacles. Pier Alberto Conti's 1921 production of Verdi's Aida began its history as an opera venue; the Macerata Opera Festival became a permanent summer season in 1967. The arena also hosts the Musicultura song festival and other concerts.