Erected between 1843 and 1856, the Amintore Galli Theater was inaugurated in 1857 with the first performance of Giuseppe Verdi’s Aroldo. The project and neoclassical style were designed by Luigi Poletti, an architect and engineer of the Papal States. Originally called the “New Theater,” it changed its name in 1859 to Vittorio Emanuele II Theater. Only later, in 1947, was it dedicated to the composer Amintore Galli (1845-1919). The theater’s activity was interrupted in 1943 when the building was severely destroyed by World War II bombings: the auditorium and stage collapsed, while the foyer remained almost intact.

On October 28, 2018, after 75 years of silence, the theater was reopened to the public, welcomed by the extraordinary voice of one of the world’s opera stars, Cecilia Bartoli. The inaugural program continued for three months, with special events such as the theatrical performance of Giuseppe Verdi’s Simon Boccanegra, conducted by Valerij Gergiev with the orchestra of the Mariinsky Theater of St. Petersburg, and the show by world-renowned dance artist Roberto Bolle, Roberto Bolle and Friends.

Currently, the theater hosts several opera appointments, the Malatesta Music Festival—one of the oldest and most prestigious Italian music festivals—a rich drama season, and a variety of artistic and cultural events. Through archaeological excavations conducted during the restoration activities that involved the areas beneath the auditorium, orchestra pit, stage, and side rooms, important artifacts have emerged, collected in a multimedia museum that complements the Theater.

On September 3, 2019, the Theater had the honor of welcoming the President of the Italian Republic, Sergio Mattarella, who attended Mozart’s “The Marriage of Figaro,” conducted by Maestro Riccardo Muti. The Galli Theater was also recently included in TIME Magazine’s list of the best places in the world in 2019.