Built in 1792 in neoclassical style following a public competition won by Canova's friend Giannantonio Selva, Teatro La Fenice was initially one of many private venues for shows and operas. In December 1836, a major fire destroyed its interior, yet it was rebuilt a year later, much like the mythical bird that rises from ashes. Throughout the 19th century, La Fenice hosted world premieres of numerous operas including Rossini's Tancredi, Sigismondo, and Semiramide, Bellini's I Capuleti e i Montecchi and Beatrice di Tenda, Donizetti's Belisario, Pia de' Tolomei, and Maria de Rudenz, as well as Verdi's Ernani, Attila, Rigoletto, La traviata, and Simon Boccanegra.
With a capacity for over a thousand spectators, La Fenice boasts excellent acoustics, further enhanced after its reconstruction following a devastating second fire in 1996. It houses a 98-member orchestra and a 66-member chorus, drawing passionate local audiences and a large international following.
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