Ventidio Basso Theater (Ascoli Piceno)

History of the Ventidio Basso Theater

The theatrical tradition of Ascoli begins in 1579, with an all-wooden hall in the Palazzo dell'Arengo. In 1827 plans for a new municipal building began, mainly out of fear that the hall in the palace might catch fire. To build it, the Società dei Palchettisti (the society of box owners) was formed alongside the municipality.

The project was entrusted to Ireneo Aleandri, who however abandoned the work after disagreements with the clients. He was succeeded by Marco Massimi, Gabriele Gabrielli and the Fermo architect Giambattista Carducci, who modified the original design. The theater is dedicated to Publius Ventidius Bassus (Publio Ventidio Basso), an Ascoli-born general of the 1st century BC. After more than ten years of closure and a long restoration, it reopened in 1994.

What to see in the Ventidio Basso Theater

The neoclassical travertine facade, built by Gabrielli in 1851, has a central portico with six columns. Inside, the niches of the entrance hold statues by Giorgio Paci depicting Dance, Tragedy, Comedy and Harmony.

The auditorium has four tiers of boxes, each with 23 boxes, and a gallery-style upper tier. The boxes are decorated with gilded stuccoes of cherubs, trophies and musical instruments, and the seats are covered in red velvet. Eight Muses appear on the ceiling: Urania is missing.

The upper foyer (ridotto) has an Art Nouveau ceiling. On the walls hang I Garibaldini che entrano a Roma (Garibaldi's men entering Rome), a large canvas by Massimiliano Gallelli from 1911, and two Baroque paintings. There are also a bust of Ventidio Basso by Serafino Tramazzini and the restored busts of singers who performed in Ascoli.

How to visit the Ventidio Basso Theater

The theater can be visited on guided tours. The route covers the foyer, the auditorium, the upper gallery and the ridotto. Tours run on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and on public holidays and the days before them. Times change with the season and are shown in the information box. The 2026/2027 drama season includes performances from October 2026.

Where the Ventidio Basso Theater is

The theater is in the historic center of Ascoli Piceno, on via del Trivio, opposite the Great Cloister of San Francesco and near Piazza del Popolo.

Around the Ventidio Basso Theater in Ascoli Piceno

A short walk away are the Chiostro Maggiore di San Francesco and Piazza del Popolo. The hall that housed the first theater of Ascoli, now the Sala della Vittoria in the Palazzo dell'Arengo, is part of the route of the Pinacoteca civica (civic art gallery). Other places to visit in the city are on the page about things to do in Ascoli Piceno.