Teatro Gentile di Fabriano

The first permanent theater was built and inaugurated on St. John's day in 1692 inside the town hall. The supervision was entrusted to the famous Venetian architect and set designer Pietro Mauro. In 1717 the theater became the property of the Municipality which promoted its restoration (1750). During the Napoleonic period, the Aurora theater was in operation and declared unusable in 1844: in 1847 Pietro Ghinelli inaugurated the new Camurio Theater. In 1863 the theater was destroyed by fire. The new city theater was inaugurated in May 1884 with the performance of Aida. The same local craftsmen active in the Camurio Theater were engaged for the decorations: the ceiling and the bedside table were designed by the famous Bolognese perspectiveist Luigi Serra while fellow citizen Luigi Samoggia painted the chiaroscuro decorations of the hall. The new theatre, named after Gentile da Fabriano, has a horseshoe plan with four tiers of band boxes, eight proscenium boxes created between pairs of Corinthian pilasters with finely carved candelabra and independent flat ceiling. In 1997 the Compagnia del Gentile was recognized by the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, which gave the possibility to many young enthusiasts from Fabriano to be able to try their hand at art and theatrical organization. Considered one of the most beautiful and elegant theaters in the Marche region, it is known and appreciated for its extraordinary internal structure and excellent acoustics.