Page 99 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Venice & The Veneto

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r La Fenice
Campo San Fantin. Map 7 A3. Box
office Tel 041 24 24. 4 San Marco.
8 ∑ teatrolafenice.it
Theatre houses were
enormously popular in the
18th century and La Fenice,
the city’s oldest theatre, was
no exception. Built in 1792 in
Classical style, it was one of
several privately owned theatres
showing plays and operas to
audiences from all strata of Shop in Campo Santo Stefano selling antiques and masks
society. In December 1836, a
fire destroyed the interior but t Campo Santo No. 2945, Palazzo Loredan, is the
a year later it was resurrected, Stefano home of the Venetian Institute
just like the mythical bird, the Map 6 F3. 4 Accademia or of Sciences, Letters and Arts.
phoenix (fenice) which is said Sant’Angelo.
to have arisen from its ashes.
Another fire in early 1996 Also known as Campo
again destroyed the theatre, Francesco Morosini after the
except for its façade. Now 17th-century doge who once
beautifully rebuilt, La Fenice lived here, this campo is one of
shares the concert and opera the most spacious in the city.
season with the Malibran Bullfights were staged until
Theatre near Rialto. 1802, when a stand fell and
Throughout the 19th century killed some of the spectators.
the name of La Fenice was It was also a venue for balls and
linked with great Italian Carnival festivities. Today it is
composers. The many operatic a pleasantly informal square
premieres that took place where children play and visitors
here include Verdi’s La Traviata drink coffee in open-air cafés.
(1853) and Rossini’s Tancredi The central statue is Nicolò
(1813) and Semiramide (1823). Tommaseo (1802–74), a
During the Austrian Occupation Dalmatian scholar who was
(see p51) red, white and green a central figure in the 1848 The ceiling of Santo Stefano, in the form of
flowers, symbolizing the Italian rebellion against the Austrians. a ship’s keel
flag, were thrown on stage, to At the southern end of the
shouts of “Viva Verdi” – the square the austere-looking y Santo Stefano
letters of the composer’s name Palazzo Pisani, overlooking the Campo Santo Stefano. Map 6 F2.
standing for “Vittorio Emanuele Campiello Pisani, has been the Tel 041 275 04 62. 4 Accademia
Re d’Italia”. More recently, the Conservatory of Music since the or Sant’Angelo. Open 10am–4pm
theatre saw premieres of end of the 19th century. Music Mon–Sat. Closed 1 Jan, Easter,
Stravinsky’s The Rake’s wafts from its open windows all 15 Aug, 25 Dec. & Sacristy only.
Progress (1951) and Britten’s through the year. On the 9 ^ = ∑ chorusvenezia.org
Turn of the Screw (1954). opposite side of the square,
Deconsecrated six times on
account of the violence that
took place within its walls,
Santo Stefano today is
remarkably serene. Built in
the 14th century and radically
altered in the 15th, the church
has a notable carved portal
by Bartolomeo Bon and a
campanile with a typical
Venetian tilt. The interior has
a splendid ship’s-keel ceiling,
carved tie-beams and tall pillars
of Vero nese marble. The most
notable works of art, including
some paintings by Tintoretto,
La Fenice, rebuilt after it was destroyed by fire in 1996 are housed in the damp sacristy.

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