Did you know that Milan once had two opera houses near the Royal Palace? The Teatro alla Scala is famously known but its sibling the Teatro alla Canobbiana deserves its moment in history. This theater later became the Teatro Lirico.
The Teatro alla Canobbiana opened in 1779 just a year after La Scala. It was a horseshoe-shaped building topped with a dome. It featured four tiers of boxes and a gallery. For almost a century it served as Milan’s second opera house hosting numerous performances. Think of it as the less aristocratic more public-facing counterpart to the grand La Scala.
The Teatro Lirico’s story isn’t just about elegant performances. It played a significant role in 20th-century Italian politics. Benito Mussolini delivered some of his most important speeches here. The building even served as a venue for public assemblies. A fire in 1938 damaged it badly but it was repaired quickly. This was especially important given La Scala was heavily damaged by Allied bombing during World War II. The Teatro Lirico then stepped up hosting La Scala’s 1943 season. Can you imagine the atmosphere? The urgency? The resilience of the arts even in the face of war?
The Teatro Lirico continued its unique history. In the 1960s the Piccolo Teatro di Milano a renowned theater company even made it their home. The building’s history also touches on the legendary Milanese singer Giorgio Gaber. He performed there frequently. Following years of financial hardship and closure the theater underwent a massive renovation project. It finally reopened in 2021. Today it proudly bears the name Teatro Lirico Giorgio Gaber a testament to the remarkable man and the theater’s long legacy.
So here we stand before this building. It’s a silent witness to centuries of history. A place of opera political speeches and the resilience of the arts. The Teatro Lirico’s story is a reminder that even seemingly less prominent places play crucial roles in shaping culture and history.