Earning its name from the mythical bird of rebirth, La Fenice has risen from the ashes of three separate fires to remain the world's most resilient opera house..
The house opened in 1792 after a fire destroyed the previous Teatro San Benedetto. Architect Giannantonio Selva designed the neoclassical opera house, which quickly became renowned for premieres by Rossini, Bellini, and Donizetti.
A fire gutted the theatre in 1836, but brothers Giambattista and Tommaso Meduna rebuilt it within a year in a lavish Empire style. It burned again in 1996 due to arson by two electricians avoiding fines, destroying the interior except the facade.
Giuseppe Verdi debuted key operas here, including Rigoletto (1851), La traviata (1853), and Simon Boccanegra (1857).
Interesting facts...
The place really does rise from the ashes. The fire revealed hidden frescos including the really significant Dante Alighieri’s journey into hell. illustrate scenes from Dante’s Inferno, showing Virgil guiding the poet through Hell’s punishing circles.
