Verona Arena
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The Verona Arena (Arena di Verona) is a Roman amphitheatre in Verona, Italy, which is famous for the opera performances given there. It is one of the best preserved structures of its kind.
The building was built in AD 30 on a site which at the time was outside of the city walls. The ludii (shows and games) staged there were so famous that spectators came from many other (sometimes very distant) places. The amphitheatre could host more than 30,000 spectators.
The round façade was originally in white and pink limestone from Valpolicella, but after a major earthquake in 1117, which almost completely destroyed the outer ring, except the so-called "Ala", the Arena was used as a quarry for other buildings. The first interventions to recover its functionality as a theatre were started during the Renaissance.
Thanks to its outstanding acoustics, the building lends itself to musical performances, the practice of which began in 1913. Nowadays, four productions are mounted each year between June and August.
During the winter months, the Opera and ballet perform at the L'Accademia Filarmonica.
Tickets to sit on the stone steps are much cheaper than tickets for the padded chairs down below.
Candles are passed out to patrons and lit after sunset around the Arena.
Once capable of housing 20.000 guests on a performance night (now 15.000 because of safety reasons) it featured many of world's most notable opera singers such as: Giuseppe Di Stefano, Maria Callas, Tito Gobbi, Renata Tebaldi, Kristjan Johannsson and Giacinto Prandelli. The official Arena Shop has many of their legendary recordings available.Simple Minds also played there during the Street Fighting Years tour in 1989.
[edit] External links
- Verona Arena website, in English
- Photographs of Verona
- An article on Arena di Verona including Photographs and videos
