Teatro Petruzzelli

Italy's fourth-largest opera house, rebuilt after an arson fire in 1991

The Teatro Petruzzelli opened in 1903 and is the fourth-largest opera house in Italy, after those of Naples, Palermo and Milan. The theatre was entirely destroyed by arson in 1991 and remained a burned-out shell for 18 years before reopening in 2009 after a controversial and expensive reconstruction. The rebuilt theatre is a handsome space, and its season of opera, ballet and concerts is one of the best in the south of Italy.

Even if you are not attending a performance, the exterior — a grand late-19th century facade on Corso Cavour in the new town — is worth seeing. Guided tours of the theatre are available on some days. The reopening of the Petruzzelli has been a genuine symbol of Bari's recovery and regeneration as a city.

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In October 1991, the Petruzzelli was destroyed by an arson fire that took investigators nearly two decades to resolve. The rebuilding took 18 years and became mired in allegations of Mafia involvement and misappropriation of reconstruction funds. When the theatre finally reopened in 2009, the premiere was conducted by Riccardo Muti. The rebuilt theatre preserves the original 19th-century exterior and historical materials where possible but inside is essentially new.

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