History of The Theatre After Opening Day
The theatre was inaugurated on March 3, 1585, with a production of Sophocles' Oedipus the King. However, the theatre was virtually abandoned after only a few productions. The scenes, which had been created in wood and stucco for Oedipus the King, and which were meant to represent the streets of Thebes, were never removed: despite bombings and other vicissitudes, they have miraculously preserved into modern times. The original lighting system of glass oil lamps, designed by Scamozzi, heightened the illusion of space, has been used only a few times because of the high cost and the risk of fire. Scamozzi's lighting system was used when, in 1997, the theatre was again employed for a production of Oedipus the King.
The Teatro Olimpico is still used for plays and musical performances, but audience sizes are limited to 400, for conservation reasons. Performances take place in two theatre seasons—classical plays in the autumn and the festival Il Suono dell'Olimpico in the spring. It is not equipped with heating or air conditioning, which could damage the delicate wooden structures. Every June, the theatre is used for the graduation ceremony for students from the American Department of Defense high school in Vicenza.
The Theatre was used as a filming location for films like Don Giovanni (1979) and Casanova (2005).
Read more about this topic: Teatro Olimpico
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