Opera Carlo Felice Genova

History

The hall is named for King Carlo Felice, and dates from 24 December 1824, when the Most Excellent Department of Theatres was established. On 31 January 1825, local architect Carlo Barabino submitted his design for the opera house which was to be built on the site of the church of San Domenico. The Dominican friars were moved elsewhere without delay or ceremony, and the first stone of the new building was laid on 19 March 1826.

The inaugural performance of Bellini's Bianca e Fernando took place on 7 April 1828, even though the structure and decoration were not quite finished. The auditorium accommodated an audience of about 2,500 in five tiers (each with 33 boxes), a gallery above, and standing room in the orchestra pit. The acoustics were considered among the best of the time. In 1829 the Scuola Gratuita di Canto (now the Genoa Conservatory) was established to train singers for opera performance at the theatre.

For nearly forty years from 1853, Verdi spent the winter in Genoa, but he had few strong professional ties with the Teatro Carlo Felice. In 1892, Genoa commemorated the 400th anniversary of Columbus' discovery of America and to celebrate the occasion the Carlo Felice was renovated and redecorated at a cost of 420,000 lire (nearly £17,000). Verdi was approached to compose a suitable opera, but he declined the honour, making the excuse that he was too old. Instead, Alberto Franchetti's opera Cristoforo Colombo premiered at the Carlo Felice on 6 October 1892.

The hall was altered many times in the years 1859–1934, and remained remarkably unscathed by war until 9 February 1941 when, during Operation Grog, a shell fired by a British warship hit the roof, leaving a large hole open to the sky and destroying the ceiling of the auditorium which had been a unique example of 19th-century rococo extravagance, its main feature being a wide circle of angels, cherubs and other winged creatures in brightly painted high relief. …