Teatro Ludovico Ariosto

Teatro Ludovico Ariosto is the second most important theater of Reggio Emilia, after the Romolo Valli Municipal Theater.

The theater is located in Piazza della Vittoria, in the historical center of the city.

SHORT HISTORY OF TEATRO LUDOVICO ARIOSTO

On this site, the Cittadella Theater (Teatro della Cittadella) was built between 1740 and 1741 to a design by Antonio Cugini. The Citadella Theater was destroyed by fire on the night of April 21, 1851.

Traces of the old structure are still visible along the colonnade that borders the southern wall of the current theater, overlooking Corso Benedetto Cairoli.

Teatro Ludovico Ariosto was erected in 1878. The project, on a design by the architect Achille Grimaldi, was financed by Ulderico Levi, a member of one of the most important Jewish families in the city.

The Ludovico Ariosto Theater was designed as a space with multiple uses, suitable both for prose and for equestrian performances.

In 1927, the Municipality carried out a profound renovation.

The orchestra space was added, the structures necessary for the equestrian shows were eliminated, and the exterior and interior were decorated by Anselmo Govi with late Art Nouveau motifs.

The last major restoration of the theater took place in 1981.

the facade of the Ludovico Ariosto Theater

ART AND ARCHITECTURE OF THE LUDOVICO ARIOSTO THEATER

The architectural layout of the theater followed the model of the English and French theaters.

The cavea took on a semicircular shape and the tiers of boxes, maintained for the second order, were replaced on the first and third orders by single galleries.

The large fresco in the dome is remarkable, depicting episodes from Orlando Furioso – an epic poem by Ludovico Ariosto, surrounded at the base by a band in which the opening verses of the poem appear.

The capacity of the theater is 780 seats.

HOW TO GET TO TEATRO LUDOVICO ARIOSTO

The Ludovico Ariosto Theater is located about 1.3 kilometers from the Reggio Emilia railway station.

The closest bus stop is located right in front of the theater, in Viale Antonio Allegri, on the bus Line G.