“Francesco Cilea” Municipal Theatre

The Municipal Theatre of Reggio Calabria is named in memory of the Calabrian composer Francesco Cilea. Located in front of the St. George building, with a capacity of 1.500 seats, is the largest theater in the region. The exterior is inspired by Classic style; the great hall, in nineteenth century style, is a horseshoe, with three tiers of boxes and a gallery, divided by a large royal box at the center. The Theatre was built after the earthquake of 1908 thanks to the then Minister Giuseppe De Nava and the mayor Giuseppe Valentino, designed by engineers Domenico De Simone and Laviny, and opened in 1931. The hall was expanded after the war, with a new form to the line of boxes and a ceiling more sumptuous and impressive, and re-opened in 1964 with the opera "The Troubadour", by Giuseppe Verdi. For about twenty years, the property welcomes companies of prose, variety and drama, among the most beautiful names of Italian and international art scene. In 1985 the Theater was declared unusable and will reopen only after nearly eighteen years of work. On the first floor, the Theater also hosts the Art Gallery of Reggio Calabria.