Teatro Giovanni Battista Pergolesi

Jesi's Teatro Giovanni Battista Pergolesi is named for the composer born in the city in 1710. Opened in 1798 as the Teatro della Concordia, the neoclassical theatre preserves a distinctive elliptical auditorium, paintings by Felice Giani and a historic curtain depicting Frederick II's entry into Jesi.

Why it matters

Built for Jesi's nobility, the theatre became the focal point of the city's musical heritage. It took the name of Pergolesi in 1883 and was recognised as a Teatro di Tradizione in 1968, the first such designation in the Marche. The Fondazione Pergolesi Spontini has managed it since 2005, continuing the city's opera and performance traditions.

What to notice

The brick façade has a circular clock flanked by eagles and cornucopias, added in 1839 after a visit by Prince Maximilian de Beauharnais. Inside, the elliptical auditorium is ringed by three tiers of boxes and a gallery. Felice Giani painted the ceiling with mythological scenes from the Stories of Apollo. The curtain, painted by Luigi Mancini in 1850, depicts the legendary entry of Frederick II into Jesi in 1216. The foyer and ridotto include material about Pergolesi and Gaspare Spontini, born in nearby Maiolati in 1774.

Context and history

The Teatro della Concordia replaced the earlier wooden Teatro del Leone, built in 1731 just outside Porta Romana. The new theatre was designed by Francesco Maria Ciaraffoni and substantially modified by Cosimo Morelli. After it was renamed for Pergolesi in 1883, the building was sold to the Comune in 1933. The Fondazione Pergolesi Spontini's work centres on Jesi's musical and theatrical traditions and the legacies of Pergolesi and Spontini.