Walter Chiari Municipal Theatre
Located along the perimeter of the Quadrilatero, it is an example of minor architecture in the nineteenth century, a time of great love for the opera.
The first reports about a venue devoted to theatre performances in Cervia date back to the early eighteenth century, when mention is made of a "community theatre for young people," in a small hall on the south-east rampart. It was a small theatre, seating about 200 people, used for actors' and marionette performances, concerts, academic lectures and playing bingo.
In 1858 the City Council decided to build a large theatre on the West Rampart known as "dei Carabinieri". The final project was drafted by the architect Tommaso Stamigni from Perugia. Work started in 1860, directed by the foremen Zanuccoli and Zacchi; the sculptor Ulisse Bonelli was in charge of the architectonic decorations, while the painters Giovanni Canepa and Andrea Bellini dealt with pictorial decorations in the theatre. The ceiling is embellished with flower motifs, with Muses depicting, according to the tradition, the most beautiful women in Cervia.
The jewel of the theatre, also by Canepa, is the so-called "Velario", the 1862 curtain depicting Apollo's boat reaching the port of Cervia accompanied by nine Muses to pay tribute to the town, while on the other side the Cervia Magistrates's boat sails out to meet him. Between the two boats, there is a burchiella, the typical craft used for salt transport.
The Velario of the Theatre in Cervia is supposed to be the only curtain in Emilia Romagna with a marine subject. Being in a bad state of repair, having been damaged because of humidity and wear and tear which caused ripping, stains and colour loss, it underwent delicate renovation by Enzo Petrucci from Urbino, who very skilfully fixed the colour, repaired the ripping and the seams using thin fabric. The work ended with the recovery of the pictorial and missing sections; on the 8th of November 1997 the curtain was then returned to the town's cultural assets, in its original location.
The theatre has 229 seats and 2 disabled seats. Audio equipment: mixer, acoustic diffusers, amplifiers, microphones.
During the year a lot of events takes place inside the theatre, for information and programmes go to the page of events and initiatives
GUIDED TOURS OF THE THEATRE
For a closer look at this architectural jewel where you can breathe in a piece of Cervia's history
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Where: Via XX Settembre 125, Cervia
Official Tourist Information Site of Cervia