The Persio Flacco is an active opera and theater stage in

Volterra Volterra (; Latin: ''Volaterrae'') is a walled mountaintop town in the Tuscany region of Italy. Its history dates from before the 8th century BC and it has substantial structures from the Etruscan, Roman, and Medieval periods. History Volter ...

, Italy.

History

still lacked a proper indoor performance stage in the early nineteenth century. In 1816 a group of citizens, including cavaliere Bartolommeo Falchi, cavaliere Mario Maffei, Luigi Ducci, Francesco Cinci, and Luigi Campani, commissioned the architect Luigi Campani (an architect of the Grand Duke Ferdinand III of Tuscany). The theater was erected on the site of the palazzo belonging to Marchesi Incontri. Work began in 1816 and the theater was inaugurated in 1820.

Description

The main curtain (''sipario'') was painted by Nicola Contestabili, who represented

Aulus Persius Flaccus Aulus Persius Flaccus (; 4 December 3424 November 62 AD) was a Ancient Rome, Roman poet and satirist of Etruscan civilization, Etruscan origin. In his works, poems and satires, he shows a Stoicism, Stoic wisdom and a strong criticism for what he ...

, a Roman satirist and playwright born in Volterra, being led by the muses to the summit of Parnassus, ruled by Apollo. This gave the theater its final name. The ceiling over the seats was painted with ''Venus in a chariot drawn by swans'', and the parapets, with cupids, garlands and vignettes, harmonizing with the curtain. All these beautiful decorations were lost with subsequent restorations.

Ongoing care

In 1820, a group of 60 prominent citizens formed the ''Academy of the Riuniti'' (of the reunited), and purchased the entire theater, assigning to each member property of the individual boxes and seats, and this organization has continuously maintained that theatrical activity. The theater was closed for physical repairs for 15 years, from 1984 to 1999, before the reopening, members donated their ownerships of seats and boxes to the academy. This availed them of funds to pursue reconstruction.

Sources

Theater website
*Guida di Volterra, Benedetto Sborgi, Tipografia Sborgi, 1903, pages 123-12

Buildings and structures in Volterra Opera houses in Italy Theatres in Tuscany Culture of Tuscany Theatres completed in 1830 Music venues completed in 1830 1830 establishments in Italy 19th-century architecture in Italy {{Italy-struct-stub