78 Best Performing Arts Venues in Italy

This 18th-century theater presents concerts by Italian and international orchestras throughout the year, but the highly acclaimed opera performances from January to July and October to December are the main attraction. Reserve seats for those performances well in advance.

Although it has died out in most other parts of the island, the puppet-theater tradition carries on in Acireale with a small but informative free exhibit at the Museo Opera dei Pupi, which recounts the history of the art and displays the puppets once used in widely beloved local performances.

From mid-October to mid-April, see Italian plays at this 1656 theater, which was once the private venue of the grand dukes and which has undergone several metamorphoses. Its present incarnation dates from the early 19th century.

Operas and dance productions are staged here from November to March. If your Italian is up to it, you could also attend any of the theatrical productions.

From early May to mid-July, Siracusa's ancient Teatro Greco stages performances of classical tragedy and comedy. Tickets begin from €28. The ticket office is at  Corso Matteotti 29, in Ortigia.

Teatro India occupies a former soap factory and showcases the best in contemporary theater from local and visiting artists. Most shows are in Italian, but they have occasional English-language performances.

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.

Premieres at the Teatro Regio, one of Italy's leading opera houses, sell out well in advance. You can buy tickets for most performances at the box office or on the website, where discounts are often offered on the day of the performance. The season runs from October through July.

For a satisfying Neapolitan "soul" experience, catch a local singer like Lina Sastri or Lara Sansone here at Teatro Sannazzaro. Traditional Neapolitan plays by Edoardo di Filippo are also often presented here, and the venue also books shows by younger Italian bands and singers. Associazione Scarlatti hosts its classical music season here.

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, and frequent concerts by traditional Neapolitan musicians.

Trieste's main opera house, built under Austrian rule in 1801, is of interest to aficionados of fine architecture as well as music lovers. Gian Antonio Selva, the architect of Venice's Teatro La Fenice, designed the interior, and Matteo Pertsch, responsible for Milan's Teatro alla Scala, designed the facade. You'll have to attend a performance to view Teatro Verdi's interior; guided tours aren't conducted for individuals. Opera season runs from October through May, with a brief operetta festival in July and August.

Ticketone is the go-to spot for all cultural event listings—from archaeological sites and museums to stand-alone events—in Rome. Online reservations require tenacity.

This large exhibition space, formerly Teatro Saschall, hosts many events throughout the year, including a big and boisterous Christmas bazaar run by the Red Cross, visiting rock stars, and trendy bands from all over Europe.

A 1930s villa, once the base for the Fiorentino family's embroidered-handkerchief enterprise, is now the base for a foundation that organizes frequent art exhibitions, musical performances, readings, and other cultural events.

The 19th-century residence of the Rothschild banking family makes a fitting venue for the concerts that are often held in the summer here.

One of Italy's largest ticket vendors (both online and at ticket offices), VivaTicket covers major musical performances and cultural events in Rome and throughout Italy.