Giacomo Leopardi Municipal Theater

History of the Teatro Comunale Giacomo Leopardi in San Ginesio

In San Ginesio, plays were already being staged in the square in the 16th century. In 1547 a wooden amphitheater was built in the main square. In 1555 the tragedy “La Medea” was published in Venice, its title referring to the performance in that theater.

The current building followed a town council resolution of September 21, 1873. Construction took place between 1874 and 1875. It rose where the Palazzo Defensoriale had stood, the town's administrative seat until the Unification of Italy. The theater opened on August 18, 1877, with the opera “Addina, le Nozze in Pasquella”, with a libretto by Alfonso Leopardi and music by Vincenzo Bruti, a native of San Ginesio.

The theater was enlarged in the 1960s. In 1992, after a period of decline, a restoration began. The earthquake of September 26, 1997 caused minor damage. A new opening took place on December 18, 2005.

What to see inside the Teatro Comunale Giacomo Leopardi

The exterior has a 19th-century look. The hall is horseshoe-shaped, with gold gilding on the moldings and capitals. The interior decoration is by Pietro Giovannetti, from Santa Vittoria in Matenano, and by Guglielmo Ciarlantini, from San Ginesio. The curtain is the work of set designer Enrico Andreani, from Senigallia. The chandelier winch still works, and the town coat of arms sits above the entrance. The hall has about 220 seats.

How to visit the Teatro Comunale Giacomo Leopardi in San Ginesio

After the earthquake the theater was declared unsafe for use. The earthquake cracked the masonry, including the stairwell on the west facade. It also damaged the arches of the outer loggia, especially the corner ones. On January 4, 2023, the municipality approved spending for repairs and seismic upgrading, and restoration work has started. Before setting out, it is worth checking on the progress of the work.

Where the Teatro Comunale Giacomo Leopardi is in San Ginesio

The theater faces Piazza Alberico Gentili, the main square of San Ginesio. The town sits on a hill in the province of Macerata.

Around the Teatro Comunale Giacomo Leopardi in San Ginesio

On the same square stand the Collegiata di Santa Maria Assunta, with the civic tower, and the monument to Alberico Gentili. Next to the Collegiata is the Museo e Pinacoteca Gentili, whose collection includes a “Pietà” by Simone de Magistris. The Collegiata bears the marks of the earthquake and has been made safe with tie rods and bracing. Farther on are the medieval walls and the Ospedale dei Pellegrini (Pilgrims' Hospital), also medieval.

For other theaters in the area, see the page on the historic theaters of the Sibillini. They include the Vittoria Theater in Sarnano and the La Fenice Theater in Amandola.