Teatro La Fenice

Lonely Planet review

The grand opera theatre of Venice is back in action, providing an experience music lovers will not want to miss. First-night spots can cost several thousand euros. First raised in 1792 and rebuilt after fires in 1854 and again in 2003, it is one of the world's great opera stages.

Some of the operas are staged at the charming 17th-century Teatro Malibran (Calle del Teatro, Cannaregio 5870; tickets around €10 -95), with a capacity of 900, instead.

A careful reconstruction of the opera house raised in 1837, the building incorporates the latest in theatre technology and with room for 1000 spectators. More than 300 artisans were mustered to relearn old methods of everything from plaster-making to woodwork, chandeliers and gold-leaf decoration.

In the 19th century, only part of the stalls had seats. The Fenice was to many nobles a kind of members-only club where, in winter especially, they would spend much of the day gambling, chatting and passing the time away. Many of Venice's great families were largely ruined and could not afford heating in their enormous palazzi (palaces or mansions). The habit of standing around in the stalls and chin-wagging extended to performances. They say the German composer Richard Wagner, when he first performed in Venice, insisted on the installation of seats and total silence during performances.