Teatro Politeama, Theatre in Catanzaro, Italy
Teatro Politeama is a theatre in Catanzaro, Calabria, made up of three clearly separated sections: an entrance foyer, a horseshoe-shaped auditorium, and a fly tower. The auditorium is spread across several levels, so every seat offers a direct view of the stage.
The theatre opened on November 29, 2002, after a lengthy planning process that aimed to give Catanzaro a dedicated home for performing arts. It was built during a period when southern Italy was investing in cultural spaces, and it gave the city a permanent venue for live events.
The theatre is named after Mario Foglietti, a Catanzaro director, journalist and writer who served as its superintendent; it was dedicated to him in 2016. Its programme covers prose theatre, musicals, recitals, dance, ballet, symphonic concerts and opera. Interior decoration draws on trees, sky, water, wind and stars, with a shell crowning the auditorium.
The theatre is on Via Jannoni and easy to reach on foot from the centre of Catanzaro. Booking ahead is a good idea since seats fill up quickly for popular shows.
Architect Paolo Portoghesi wove harps and violins directly into the railings and fabrics of the interior, so music is present in the building's structure, not only on stage. Visitors who look closely will spot these shapes throughout the auditorium.
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