The Fortune Theatre of Fano was built by the famous designer and scenic artist Giacomo Torelli between 1665 and 1677. Closed in 1839 for safety reason, it was demolished and rebuilt by Luigi Poletti, a famous architect of Modena.
Unfortunately the new Fortune Theatre was badly damaged during the last war, when the tower collapsed in the square – in turn replaced by the Civic Tower in 1950 – and incendiary bombs fell on the roof of the theater hall.
After a long and laborious restoration period, the Fortune Theatre has reopened its splendour to the public in 1998, with its ancient shape adapted to contemporary needs. Designed with the classic Italian-style structure, the hall offers comfort and lavish decoration in three rows of twenty-one boxes. Something very special is offered from a high amphitheatrically base that supports the wide ledge of the first tier of boxes, decorated with small winged chimeras.
There are many quality details in this lovely space dedicated to the music and to the theater; this stage housed the melodramas of the Bibiena or Metastasio, the famous choir of Farinelli and Giziello, Rossini, Bellini, Donizetti , Verdi, Puccini, Mascagni and other famous names that made music history. You could also admire the Verdi Hall, a vast room used to dance parties, concerts and conferences in which, during the restoration, were brought to light the remains of two Roman polychrome mosaics decorated with geometric symbols of the early third century AD.