Theater La Fenice was founded in 1792. This theatre is a place where a huge number of operas have been performed for the first time, such as Rossini’s operas, Bellini’s operas, Donizetti’s operas and of course Verdi’s operas. The total seating capacity of La Fenice is 1000 people and this theatre is one of the most beautiful and the most important opera venues in Italy. The theatre is a leading cultural venue, staging more than one hundred opera performances per year, a major symphonic season given by prominent conductors from across the globe.
Back in the day, the major opera house in Venice was Theatre San Benedetto. When in 1774 this theatre was burnt down to the ground, a dispute ensued between the owner of the theatre building (the Venier family) and the society that ran the theatre. When the court settled the dispute by finding in favor of the Venier family, the society decided to build a brand new facility at Campo San Fantin. The construction of the new theatre started in 1790 and lasted until 1792. The new theater was symbolically called La Fenice, with an aim to bring the survival of the society to the fore after the lost litigation. La Fenice was officially opened in 1792 when the opera “the games from Agrigento” by Giovanni Paisiella was performed.
La Fenice was severely damaged in fire in 1836 but it was quickly reopened in 1837 when the opera Rosamunda by Ravenna Giuseppe Lilla was performed.
One of the most important collaborations between the theatre and opera masters was the one with Giuseppe Verdi. He performed here his opera Ernani, and over two decades he performed in La Fenice his masterpieces such as opera Atila, Rigoltto, la Traviata and Simone Boccanegra.
During the First World War La Fenice was closed down. However, when the war ended more attention was dedicated rightly so to the modern opera and ballet production and La Fenice was the first to host world premiere of The Rake’s Progress by Stravinskij, The Turn of the Screw by Britten, An angel in fire by Prokofiev and many more.
In 1996, La Fenice was severely damaged in fire yet again. Interestingly enough one of the electricians Enrico Carella and his cousin were accused of and charged with causing a fire in the theatre. La Fenice was reopened in December 2003 when symphonic concert was performed (the pieces of Beethoven, Wagner and Stravinsky were played).
There are various opinions about the “look” of the new Fenice. A number of critics are believed to claim that this theater is only a pale shadow of the former opera house whereas others are at a loss for words filled with awe before it.
This is surely the most important Venetian opera and ballet house which hosts over 100 operas and ballets every year. Artists of high repute perform in this theatre each year and every opera and ballet performed is truly a masterpiece.
Ticket Prices for the Theatre La Fenice in Venice
Ticket price for opera are from 15 € to 250 €.
Ticket price for concerts are from 15 € to 100 €.
Tickets can be bought online on official website of La Fenice.
Tickets can also be bought Venezia Unica call center at (+39) 041 2424 every day from 9am to 6pm. In this case, payments are only available by credit card.
Tickets can also be purchased in one of the following ticket offices in Venice and Mestre as well
VENEZIA
Tronchetto ⎮ Venezia Unica, from 8:30am to 18:00pm
Piazzale Roma ⎮ Venezia Unica (in front of Calatrava bridge), from 8:30am to 6:30pm
Piazzale Roma ⎮ IAT office City Parking, from 8:30am to 6:30pm
Stazione Scalzi ⎮ Ticket office boat No 2, from 8:30am to 6:30pm
Stazione Santa Lucia ⎮ Venezia Unica in front of platform 2, from 8:30am to 6:30pm
Rialto ⎮ Ticket office boat No 2, from 8:30am to 6:30pm
Piazza San Marco ⎮ 71/f (Correr Museum), IAT office, from 9am to 6:30pm
Lido ⎮ Santa Maria Elisabetta, Ticket office, from 8:30am to 6:30pm
Accademia ⎮ Ticket office, from 8:30am to 6:30pm
MESTRE
Lazzari Street 32 (Cialdini Square) ⎮ Venezia Unica, from 8:30am to 6:30pm
Marco Polo Airport ⎮ IAT office (arrivals), from 8:30am to 6:30pm
(!) We strongly advise that you arrive half an hour before the beginning of the performance.
