The most beautiful places to see an opera in Venice

What better than an opera to perfect a magical stay in the Sérénissime? Discover our selection of the most beautiful places to see an opera in Venice.

Uncontested capital of love, Venice is also considered by many as the capital of opera. The first opera of Venice was inaugurated in 1637 in the Teatro San Cassiano.

It is between its walls that the great opera shows such as we know them today are born. His success is such that in a few years, we see sixteen operas in Venice!

Today, many operas, palaces and churches host lyrical concerts all over the city of Doges.

Taking advantage of an opera concert in Venice is travelling in time while discovering dazzling places. We have identified for you the most emblematic, but also some more secret ones.

1. The Fenice, the incontournable

Well known to fans of the genre, La Fenice is the great must in the places where to see an opera in Venice. Inaugurated in 1792, the mythical opera has welcomed the first works of Verdi, Rossini, Bellini and others over the centuries.

His name, which means “the Phoenix”, refers to the fire that ravaged his ancestor in 1774. The Fenice decided to reborn from its ashes as it rose from two other fires in 1836 and 1996. Today, his scene hosts a prestigious opera program, but also concerts and ballets.

If you dream of diving into the history of the opera in Venice, La Fenice will be an unforgettable experience. However, make sure you book your seats in advance on the site and provide for a suitable outfit.

The opera is not within the reach of all the scholarships, but there is another way to discover La Fenice. Indeed, free or guided tours are offered all year round.

For a handful of euros, you will admire its grandiose architecture, marbles and gildings as well as its multiple lodges. You can also discover in its walls a permanent exhibition dedicated to Maria Callas. An audioguide, to be loaded from the La Fenice app, is offered free to accompany your visit.

For an even more lively experience, La Fenice also offers "walks" in French to groups. A guide will make you travel in the theatre, its spaces and its history. And to close the visit in beauty, a Venetian aperitif will be offered to you in one of the rooms of Apollo.

2. The Teatro Malibran, the little brother

The Malibran Theatre is today a secondary hall of La Fenice and welcomes some of its productions. Yet his story goes further than that of the mythical institution.

Indeed, Malibran was inaugurated in 1678 and quickly became the largest theatre in the city. He was an epicentre of the development of opera in the 17th and 18th centuries. Thanks to its impressive dimensions, its rich decor and the immense quality of the productions it welcomed, it sat its international reputation.

His story, though less burning than that of Fenice, was just as enlivened. The theatre has changed several times of name and hands and deteriorated in the early nineteenth century.

In 1835, soprane Maria Malibran It was so saddened that she renounced the stamp of her representation to dedicate it to the renovation. Since then, in tribute to his gesture, the theatre has its name.

Malibran is today the oldest still active theatre in the city. It is undoubtedly one of the best places to see an opera in Venice. On the one hand, behind its typical Italian ochre facade hides a small architectural jewel.

On the other hand, La Fenice’s management is the guarantee of quality programming. Cherry on the cake, the Malibran theatre is a less tourist and more authentic place than its great sister. It is ideal for true opera artists who want to see sharp productions.

3. Palazzo Barbarigo Minotto : the opera otherwise

Seeing an opera concert in Venice is an experience in itself. But with Musica a Palazzo Barbarigo Minotto , it takes a whole new dimension. The place offers an original concept: the itinerant opera!

Each act takes place in a new piece of the beautiful Barbarigo Palace, built in the 17th century. Three great classics are played alternately: La Traviata (Giuseppe Verdi), The Barbier of Seville (Giachino Rossini) and Rigoletto (Giuseppe Verdi).

The light is sized, heavy hangings cover the walls and pampilles chandeliers adorn the painted ceilings... In this intimate atmosphere, sitting close to the actors and musicians, we truly immerse ourselves in the work and in the places.

A living experience, which will delight novices as well as amateurs wishing to relive opera classics otherwise.

4. La Scuola Grande di San Teodoro, for a time trip

San Teodoro is one of the six Scuole Grande City. These establishments, founded by the confreries of notables, have long played an essential corporatist, religious and charitable role in Venice.

If the San Teodoro Brotherhood dates back to the 8th century, its current building was inaugurated in 1581. The Scuola Grande San Teodoro today hosts conferences and exhibitions, but also and above all, operas and concerts.

Indeed, this is where all the performances of the orchestra take place I Musici Veneziani . His particularity? The musicians and singers play dressed in splendid vintage costumes. Their repertoire extends from classical music to opera, with a predilection for the beautiful canto and the Italian baroque.

When you see them interpreting an opera in this preserved Renaissance palace, you are dreaming of travelling in time...

5. Occasional scenes

Venice is a city in movement that is full of cultural activities. The opera is no exception and many monuments, all more splendid than others, welcome performances.

Here are some alternative ideas where to see an opera concert in Venice. On www.musicinvenice.com, you will find information on upcoming shows.

The Palazzo delle Prigionni

Accessible by the Soupirs Bridge, the "priest palace" regularly hosts cultural events, including classical music concerts and operas.

The Palazzo Ca’ Zenobio degli Armeni

Concerts, dances and operas are frequently organized in the sublime baroque galleries of this palace.

Saint George Church

A place of worship of the Anglican community, the small immaculate church hosts free concerts from time to time.

San Vidal Church

Located on a sunny spot, this ancient church was converted to a cultural place where operas are occasionally offered.

If the idea of seeing an opera in Venice seduces you, you will only have the embarrassment of choice! From mythical scenes to more unusual places, the city is full of opera concerts.

Even if you are a novice in this matter, don’t hesitate to venture into the world of opera in Venice. Whatever your knowledge of the genre, you can only be transported by this experience.

The representation could even be an opportunity to push the usually closed doors of a building out of time... And to prolong the magic of the evening, what better than a night stroll along the canals?