In 1821, commissioned by Duchess Maria Luigia, Nicola Bettoli began the construction of the New Ducal Theatre in the area of the Convent of St. Alexander. The theatre was completed in 1828 and inaugurated on May 16, 1829, with the opera Zaira composed for the occasion by Vincenzo Bellini.
The theatre, later named Regio, still represents a significant example of the numerous and imposing public works realized by the Duchess. It was built in the heart of the city, structured with a central body and two lateral wings connected to the Ducal Palace and the Church of St. Alexander, thus becoming a point of reference and gathering place in the city’s life itself, as stated by G.B. Niccolosi, for whom “no less than the stage shows should theatrical architecture adapt to the times and customs” (G. B. Niccolosi, 1829, p. 10). The neoclassical facade features a portico with Ionic columns topped by two bands. In the first are five pedimented windows aligned with the columns below, in the second a large thermal window flanked by two elegant flying Fame figures, bas-reliefs by Tommaso Bandinelli, as well as decoration with a lyre and masks modulating the pediment crowning the building. The two lateral wings are recessed and resolved in only two orders.
The square vestibule of the theatre has a coffered ceiling supported by Ionic columns and leads to the horseshoe-shaped stalls with four tiers of boxes, each with its own dressing room, and a gallery. The stage is vast and well equipped, particularly elegant is the lounge covered by a vault painted by G. B. Azzi, who depicted Harmony with bacchants and cupids, accompanied by stuccos and decorations by P. Piazza, G. Smit, G. Gelati, T. Bandini, and C. Rusca. On the walls are the false bas-reliefs of mythological subjects by S. Campana. Originally, the hall had refined neoclassical decoration, as documented by Toschi’s engravings. Each tier of boxes featured different stucco decorations: at the bottom were military trophies, then the story of Psyche, medallions with poets’ portraits, bouquets of flowers and fruits. The proscenium boxes were more richly decorated with images of Fame supporting acanthus trophies and portraits of illustrious men; in the proscenium arch, a light clock was placed between the attributes of Phoebus and Minerva.
The transformation of the hall began, by order of Charles III of Bourbon, in 1853; the architects Luigi Montecchi and Luigi Bettoli and the set designer Girolamo Magnani, who was named painter and director of the theatre that same year, worked on it.
The neoclassical decorations of the hall were replaced with richer and more lavish ones, and in the ceiling, already painted by Giovan Battista Borghesi, who had represented the protagonists of the ancient and modern scenes flying over a starry sky background, a purple band and a frieze with golden frames were inserted. The beautiful curtain by Giovan Battista Borghesi, still existing, depicting the triumph of Pallas, remained intact. After electrification, introduced in 1907, and the creation of the mystic gulf in 1926, the theatre did not undergo significant modifications until 1983, the year in which the necessary restoration and conservation works began, conducted “with the theatre open,” meaning without interruption of activities, throughout the 1990s.
The overall project, developed by the Municipal Technical Office, carried out in successive phases the structural consolidation of the walls, vaults, and roofs; the refurbishment of the old scenic designers’ room and the stage tower spaces; the restoration of the boxes, balconies, foyer, and smoking room. Other interventions included the recovery of spaces for artists and staff, as well as the updating of safety systems.
