Teatro Regio, theatre
One of the most famous opera houses in the world, the neo-classical Teatro Regio was commissioned by Maria Luigia, second wife of Napoleon Bonaparte, and built in 1829 by Nicola Bettoli. It was inaugurated in 1829 with the opera Zaira, composed for the occasion by Vincenzo Bellini. In 1843 Verdi dedicated the opera I Lombardi to Duchess Maria Luigia. The Teatro Regio hall is rich with gold and stucco, while four tiers of boxes and a gallery border the U-shaped theater. From the hall are stairs leading to the room of Ridotto, vast and elegant with its frescos by Azzi and Cocchi. Overlooking the room are the women's galleries. In the main room hangs a curtain painted with tempera by Borghesi, who also did the painting on the ceiling.
