Teatro Guglielmi

Teatro Guglielmi in Massa opened in 1886 with Donizetti's Maria di Rohan. Named for the composer Pietro Alessandro Guglielmi, it records the city's ambition to create a civic theatre after Italian unification.

Why it matters

The building grew from a municipal initiative rather than a court commission. Its long development connects public decision-making, architectural design and the technical demands of a nineteenth-century playhouse.

What to notice

The facade bears the Roman numerals MDCCCLXXX, recording completion of the masonry in 1880. Annibale Gatti's historic curtain, painted in 1881, honours Guglielmi's theatrical success. The original provision of scenery, stage machinery and a large chandelier shows the importance attached to the theatre's equipment as well as its architecture.

Context and history

The council approved the initiative in 1868. Vincenzo Micheli received the design commission, and Giovanni Taddei undertook construction. Masonry was completed several years before the inauguration on 25 April 1886. The building subsequently experienced wartime interruption and later safety and restoration campaigns. Reopening in February 2013 marked another stage in the conservation of Massa's historic theatre.