Social Theatre Restoration Begins Amid Funding Challenges

The initial restoration works have begun (with a total cost of 10 billion euros) on the social theatre, a building designed by Achille Sfondrini and inaugurated in November 1873 with a performance of Rigoletto.

The theatre had been closed for over ten years for safety reasons, and only last year was there an intervention (costing around half a billion euros) on the central body to address an urgent series of repairs.

The works started in recent days (amounting to 1.8 billion euros funded by the municipality with regional funds Frisl) concern mainly the cavea structure, the stage, and the foyer.

Ongoing Interventions

Work will involve consolidating the boxes, refurbishing the dome above the cavea, creating underground services, and generally renovating the foyer.

In addition to these structural works, there are projects for electrical systems, heating, or air conditioning installations.

All of these are part of the first phase of the recovery plan, which includes appendices bis and ter for finishing the auditorium’s architecture and other safety-related systems.

Future Perspectives and Funding

However, another 9 billion euros will be needed for the theatre’s reopening. How to source these funds?

Sale of boxes to private individuals is being considered, but Mayor Giampietro Cipani has other ideas.

«We could establish the Boc — he says — the local equivalent of the Bot, to finance the recovery of a building that concerns the entire community.»

The restored theatre will have a capacity of 400 seats.