Teatro Lirico Giuseppe Verdi (Giuseppe Verdi Opera House), Trieste

The Giuseppe Verdi Opera House (Teatro Lirico Giuseppe Verdi) stands as one of the city’s cultural landmarks and a symbol of its long-standing ties to European musical tradition. Constructed privately to replace the inadequate Saint Peter's Theatre, it opened in 1801 as the New Theatre with Johann Simon Mayr’s Ginevra di Scozia. Designed by Gian Antonio Selva, the architect of Venice’s La Fenice, its horseshoe-shaped auditorium reflected classical elegance, while its exterior-reworked by Matteo Pertsch-borrowed grandeur from Milan’s La Scala. This fusion of architectural influences gave Trieste a theatre of both refinement and distinction, one capable of accommodating an audience of 1,400.

The opera house soon became a cultural magnet. Renamed the Great Theatre in 1821, it hosted premieres of Giuseppe Verdi’s Il corsaro (1848) and Stiffelio (1850), both milestones that cemented the theatre’s importance on the operatic map. Verdi’s works dominated the repertoire during the 19th century, alongside celebrated productions of Puccini and Wagner. In 1861, the theatre passed into public ownership and became the Teatro Comunale, expanding its seating capacity to 2,000 before closing for safety renovations in the 1880s. By the late 19th century, it had already secured its reputation as Trieste’s cultural heartbeat.

Following Verdi’s death in 1901, the theatre was renamed in his honour, a tribute that reflected the profound influence of his music on its history. After extensive restorations in the 1990s, the Verdi Theatre reopened with 1,300 seats, restored to its former splendour while adapted to modern standards. Today, it remains a prestigious venue for opera and classical music, known especially for its annual International Festival of Operetta. For visitors, the Verdi Theatre offers not only a window into Trieste’s artistic past but also a chance to experience the city’s vibrant cultural life in one of its most iconic settings.