Teatro Petruzzelli

The Teatro Petruzzelli has been a defining part of modern Bari since its inauguration in 1903. Commissioned by shipowners Onofrio and Antonio Petruzzelli, it was destroyed by fire in 1991 and rebuilt, returning to performance in 2009.

Why it matters

The theatre was a major private undertaking. The Petruzzelli brothers commissioned engineer Angelo Cicciomessere, later known as Messeni, to design it. Construction began in 1898, and the theatre opened on 14 February 1903 with Meyerbeer's opera Les Huguenots. The auditorium originally held 2,192 people; modern safety requirements reduced its capacity to 1,482. Its history includes performances by leading Italian singers and international stars, and a long-running ballet programme.

What to notice

The rebuilt auditorium preserves the historic form of the theatre while incorporating modern structures behind the restored envelope. Its reconstruction is part of the building's story: after the fire of 26–27 October 1991, the theatre was returned to the city on 6 December 2009, and performances resumed that year. The foundation's history records its 1973 recognition as a teatro di tradizione.

Context and history

The theatre became a major venue for opera in southern Italy. During the Second World War it was occupied by Anglo-American troops, an episode later recalled in the film Polvere di stelle. In the post-war decades it hosted leading singers and productions. The 1991 fire followed a run of Bellini's Norma and left Bari without its opera house for eighteen years. The Fondazione Lirico Sinfonica Petruzzelli e Teatri di Bari now manages the house and presents opera, ballet, concerts and family events.