Teatro Civico (Civic Theater), La Spezia

The Civic Theater is the most important theater structure in La Spezia and is located in the historic center of the city, in Piazza Mentana. In terms of size, it is the third theater in Liguria. The entrance to the theater takes place through the three doors corresponding to the three arches of the facade towards Piazza Mentana. The wide staircase leads to the foyer characterized by cipollino marble pillars ; to the right of the foyer are the cloakroom and the stairs leading to the boxes and the balcony. On the floor of the first tier of boxes there is another small foyer. In the atrium the bronze busts of the composer and conductor Domenico Cortopassi and the baritone Emilio Bione are exhibited, the work of the sculptor Rino Mordacci. The interior of the hall, according to the rational approach of the architect Oliva, intended to achieve a synthesis between the eighteenth-century theater and a modern (for the time) cinema hall. The balcony is divided into two orders and overlaps the stalls for a considerable stretch; However, the three tiers of boxes have been preserved, as well as the barchecce, as in the ancient first theatre. The decoration of the room is very simple, devoid of stucco and heavy ornamentation, with the exception of two elegant white marble dancers placed at the entrance to the sides of the stalls and small riding ladies outside the boxes. The room is thus harmoniously simple, with soft colors and smooth surfaces. The dome of the room can be opened and is decorated with an ornamental band with the zodiac symbols, the work of Augusto Magli, a clear reference to the constellations that can be observed with the dome open in night shows. Today the Civic Theater has returned to carrying out its essential function as the city's cultural hub with an always very rich winter program. The important La Spezia International Jazz Festival also takes place there. The five statues (Music, Tragedy, Plastic Art, The Gulf and the City of La Spezia) that decorated the facade and entrance of the old Cremona theater were removed and placed in the public gardens.

The Civic Theater manages the entertainment activities organized by the Municipality of La Spezia through the facilities belonging to it: the main hall of the Civic Theatre, the Dante Hall, the Urban Center. The construction of the Civic Theatre, the first building outside the ancient walls with a view to expanding the city towards the sea, was started on 6 July 1840 and completed in 1846 based on a design by the Genoese architect Ippolito Cremona. The inauguration of the theater was therefore celebrated on 18 July 1846 with the performance of Giuseppe Verdi's “Ernani”. ***PH***