Recreated in 2003 with Save Venice general funds.

On January 29, 1996, a devastating fire destroyed nearly all of Venice’s beloved opera house, the Teatro La Fenice, leaving only the exterior walls and façade standing. During the fire, the roof of the theater collapsed, destroying the lavish interior with its eighteenth- and nineteenth-century decorative elements. The city of Venice decided to reconstruct the Fenice com’era, dov’era (as it was, where it was), following the tradition (and the motto) that Venice’s town council established in 1902 when the campanile of San Marco collapsed and was rebuilt to look exactly as it had before.

Architects and designers recreated the Teatro La Fenice’s historic interior based on photographic records. Very few decorative fragments survived the fire, but whenever possible, they were salvaged and integrated into the new decoration of the theater. For the performance hall, craftsmen recreated the three levels of box seats, the gallery, and the loggia.

Save Venice played an important role in the decoration of the new Fenice by financing the re-creation of the painted ceiling above the theater’s performance hall. Artists replicated the previous ceiling, setting figures of the Three Graces and Aurora, together with allegories of Music and Dance, against a light-blue background.

The ceiling was recreated by artisans Mauro Carosi and Silvano Mattei, with the guidance of project director Elisabetta Fabri of the Teatro La Fenice.

Website of the Teatro La Fenice: Homepage

Website of the Teatro La Fenice: History