The Fenice Theater is one of the most prestigious theaters in the world,
as well as the place where world premieres of works by artists including Giuseppe Verdi, Gioachino Rossini, Vincenzo Bellini, Gaetano Donizetti were staged; it is located in the San Marco district, not far from the church of Santa Maria del Giglio, the Scala Contarini del Bovolo and the church of San Moisè.
The theater, designed by Gian Antonio Selva and built between 1790 and 1792, risked total destruction in 1836, due to a serious fire.
It was the architects Tommaso and Gian Battista Meduna who restored it, adapting the original project.
Subsequent remodeling was carried out, from 1936 onwards, by Eugenio Miozzi.
A large staircase precedes the neoclassical facade, which has a pronaos with four Corinthian columns, at the top of which is a balustrade.
In the niches there are carved dance and music, works by Gian Battista Meduna and reliefs with masks, made by the same author, dominate them.
The Phoenix is depicted in the frieze in the center.
Busts and commemorative plaques of illustrious personalities, such as Carlo Goldoni, Antonio Selva, Gioacchino Rossini, Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari and Giuseppe Verdi, are located in the atrium and below the pronaos.
Inside, the neoclassical Apollinea room, with four levels of boxes and gallery, is the largest in the theater and was designed by the architect Selva.
Then there is the Sala del Teatro, with a capacity of one thousand and five hundred spectators, lavishly decorated with stuccoes, painted panels and gold carvings and completely restored in 1936.
In 1937, Nino Barbantini renovated the stage and the entrance halls.
On January 29, 1996, a disastrous arson destroyed the theater, which was later rebuilt.
Curiosity: The reconstruction following the 1996 fire was based on the motto "as it was, where it was", taken from the reconstruction of the bell tower of San Marco.
The Theater hosts a permanent exhibition dedicated to Maria Callas and her years of activity in Venice.