Teatro Lauro Rossi

The Teatro Lauro Rossi in Macerata is an eighteenth-century theatre with a distinctive bell-shaped auditorium. Tiers of boxes and polychrome stucco decoration give the interior an intimate architectural character.

Why it matters

The theatre grew from the collective patronage of forty-six noble co-owners. Its later municipal history records the changing place of theatrical performance in the city's public life.

What to notice

The boxes follow the curved plan of the hall, with architectural details recalling balconies around a palace courtyard. Lowered arches, brackets and balustrades contribute to the effect. Restoration in the 1980s recovered eighteenth-century polychrome stuccoes while addressing later ceiling decoration, making different phases of the interior legible.

Context and history

The co-owners began the project in 1765, using a design by Antonio Galli Bibbiena partly revised by Cosimo Morelli. Work was completed in 1772, and the theatre opened in 1774 with Anfossi's L'Olimpiade. Nineteenth-century alterations changed the auditorium and stage. The theatre was named for the Macerata-born composer Lauro Rossi in 1884. A major restoration followed between 1984 and 1989.