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The Amphitheatre in Verona is one of the biggest and undoubtedly the best conserved of the roman monuments. It is better known as the 'Arena', the Latin word for sand, which was used to cover the area where the games and entertainments were held. It is one of the greatest and most prestigious archaeological monuments in Europe and its size makes it the third largest amphitheatre in Europe, after the Coliseum in Rome and the Amphitheatre Campano in Campania beside Naples .
Even though it is known that the Arena was built in the first century A.D. during the last years of the emperor Augustus, neither Historians nor Architects have yet agreed on the exact date of the construction. Originally the Arena was situated outside the initial roman city walls. It has stood the test of time, even though the strength of the construction has been severely tried by earthquakes.
The Stage erected in the Summer in the Arena is the biggest in the world. It measures 47 metres by 28. Small garrets are positioned around the circumference of the Amphitheatre and those positioned behind the stage are used as changing rooms for the artists, who reach the stage by descending a steep wooden staircase.
The first performance of the Festival dates back to August 10th, 1913 when Aida by Giuseppe Verdi was performed. Since then the Arena has been identified with opera and has progressively improved in two respects: the artistic standard is high and performances attract a wide-ranging audience.
The opera season in the Arena, organized by the Arena di Verona Foundation, brings over half a million people to Verona every year and over fifteen thousand spectators flow into the amphitheatre every evening of the season: a truly cosmopolitan audience, with people from both inside and outside Europe.
Program 2007: Aida:
06/2007: 23.
07/2007: 01./05./08./15./17./22./25./28
08/2007: 05./12./15./19./23./26./28.
09/2007: 01.
Boheme:
06/2007: 30.
07/2007: 06./13./18./21./24./27.
Nabuco:
06/2007: 22./29.
07/2007: 07./20.
08/2007: 03./07./10./16./22./29./31.
Traviata:
08/2007: 04./09./17./21./24.
Barbiere di Siviglia
07/2007: 14./19./26.
08/2007: 08./11./14./18./25./30 |
