13 Best Performing Arts Venues in Naples, Italy

The association organizes chamber-music concerts at Teatro Sannazaro with occasional performances at the Music Conservatory in the Centro Storico.

Based in the early Baroque church of Santa Caterina da Siena, the center presents an excellent season of early music that runs from October to early May. Even if madrigals aren't your thing, it's worth visiting just for the location. Some performances are also held in other locations in the city.

The hip set comes here to watch high-quality fringe and avant-garde theater productions.

In the renovated cloister of the church of Santa Caterina a Formiello, this sleek gallery opened in 2014 with an exhibition of Laurie Anderson's paintings. It also organizes regular film screenings and music performances (Patti Smith has performed here).

This Italian-style multiplex shows films in their original language on Thursday nights.

A large, centrally located theater off Via Toledo, the Augusteo usually presents commercial Italian theater and concerts, but Bruce Springsteen did play here once in 1997.

A gilded Belle Époque theater, the Teatro Bellini presents traditional plays and concerts as well as more innovative productions.

A Belle Époque theater with an ultramodern foyer, Teatro Mercadante hosts high-quality touring productions.

Another exciting venue for avant-garde performances, Teatro Nuovo occupies a historic theater building.

This venue presents a challenging bill of fare that includes a healthy dose of contemporary dance. The Teatro San Carlo company uses the space to present contemporary works that are a little too modern for their hallowed headquarters.

For a satisfying Neapolitan "soul" experience, catch a local singer like Lina Sastri or Lara Sansone at Teatro Sannazaro, which also hosts Neapolitan plays by Eduardo de Filippo and the Associazione Scarlatti's classical music performances. In addition, the venue books shows by younger Italian bands and singers.

An old cinema refurbished to provide a "home for Neapolitan song," this theater mixes showings of classic Neapolitan movies with local comedies and comedy acts, as well as concerts by traditional Neapolitan musicians.

The Rothschild banking family's 19th-century residence (now known as the Museo Diego Aragona Pignatelli Cortes) makes a fitting venue for the concerts that are often held in the summer.