Naples

The Teatro di San Carlo is the opera house in Naples, designed for the Bourbon monarch Carlo III of Naples. Carlos wanted to endow Naples with a new and larger theatre to replace the old and dilapidated Teatro San Bartolomeo and was inaugurated on the 4 November 1737—the king’s name day— At the time, it was the largest opera house in the world, seating 3,300.

The new theatre was much admired for its architecture, its gold decorations, and the sumptuous blue upholstery (blue and gold being the official colours of the Bourbons).

At the time, Neapolitan opera enjoyed great success all over Europe, not only in the field of opera buffa (musical Comedy) but also in that of opera seria (serious opera). Naples became the capital of European music and even foreign composers considered the San Carlo theatre as the goal of their career!

Romantic picturesque Naples, one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world, hosts some of the best opera houses and teatro’s in the world. The city is often referred to as an “open-air museum” due to its many historical monuments and statues on display throughout the city. Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque styles are most prominent forms of visible architecture you will see in Naples today. The city alone has so much to offer, a true visual feast. Add that with the magical sounds of an authentic opera performance and Naples truly comes alive, full of artistic heritage surrounded by a depth of atmospheric history.

And with Pompey and Vesuvius on your doorstep and Capri and Ischia a short boat ride away (not forgetting the Amalfi coast just a short ride away) you’re in the centre of one of the most magical spots on the Mediterranean – see Naples and die, see the opera in Naples and come alive!