Teatro Farnese Parma (IT) visit 12th of August 2014

The theatre lies hidden inside the vast Palazzo della Pilotta.
It's part of the big art museum, but can also be visited seperatly during museum hours: for a few euro, you're in!

The theatre was designed for tournament-operas, a mix of opera and fighting.

The action on stage could be continued in the arena of the auditorium which could also be filled with water to host sea battles

Performances in the Farnese Theatre were rare and restricted to special occasions.

It became a model for Baroque theatre by virtue of its size and a new element: a monumental proscenium that divides the stage (with the first movable scenery in theatre history) and the auditorium.

This is considered to be the first proscenium in history.

Following an air raid, the wooden interior burnt down in 1944 and was reconstructed in 1956.

Despite the fact that everything is relatively new, I heartily recommend a visit, since it's still a magnificent venue.