Pistoia : Manzoni theatre ,a real jewel in the city’s heart
You can think you are at ‘La Scala’ theatre , as it is just a minature of it !
but you are in Pistoia, in a small but beautiful city in the Northen Tuscany just 30 km from the district capital, Firenze .
Dated 1694 first it was called : “teatro dei Risvegliati ” in English ” Rewaked theatre “and this means a lot…before being a theatre it was a fabric – drying structure . In the 1861 it was renovated as we can enjoy it now : four rows of boxes , auditourium & gallery for a capacity of 1200 people!
In 1864 its name was changed in Manzoni theatre in honour of one of the most famous novelist , Alessandro Manzoni who wrote “I promessi sposi”.
It is so elegant both outside ,with its columns & simple façade , as well as inside with red velvet tapestry & golden decorations.
Furthermore the Manzoni theatre has been hosting many great comedies played by very renowned actors since many decades & even premières are taken place here, ballets, opera & of course hosting Pistoia’s schools music events . The Pistoia’s public is very difficult to be satified & when a play starts from here with the public approvation it means it will be a success everywhere else!
I feel as a queen when I can stay in one of its box watching a nice play of Shakespeare or Pirandello or De Filippo having great fun & enjoying my theatre where I used to go when I was a child ( & my mother too ) to celebrate Carnival & it was a real great feast as a Cyndarella ball!
Love meeting with my friends before the show to have an espresso coffee sitting in the cosy small cafè inside the foyer & having chats as old ladies did since ever!
Nothing changed since those times, except me, that I am older & don’t dress anymore princess costumes & crown but now I am just proud to being part of all this because it belongs to my past & my family memories.
Enjoy my photos!
