Teatro Manzoni

It was built at the end of the 19th century thanks to a group of Florentine nobles and notables (such as Bastogi, Venturi-Ginori, Digerini-Nuti, Baldini, Bombici-Pontelli, Orlandini, Morrocchi), who, on 29 November 1889, established the Società Civile Filarmonica (a Philharmonic Society also known as Società Civile del Teatro). In February 1895, the building was completed and “La Favorita” by Donizetti inaugurated the theatre in April of the same year. In 1908, the theatre was renovated by Giuseppe Targioni, who, nonetheless, chose to keep the existing ceiling decoration depicting an allegory of Music surrounded by four Victories and several putti holding musical instruments.  On 12 April 1937, the theatre’s management passed to the Municipality of Calenzano, who, at first, decided to give it to a local company as a copper deposit. In 1945, they changed its name to A. Manzoni Theatre. In 1988, the building underwent a big renovation and a functional restoration, thanks to the joint decision of the Municipality Administration and the Department for Environmental and Architectural Heritage of Florence, represented by architect M. Chiara Pozzana.  On 7 April 2002, Manzoni Theatre finally reopened.