TEATRO CIVICO MILANOLLO

It was thanks to the will of a group of citizens that the theatre was built between 1834 and 1836 with the aim of "...cheering up the souls of the citizens", as the Latin inscription on the façade attests.

The area in which the theatre stands was initially the site of the old hospital and later dedicated to a precarious theatre hall in masonry and wood, which was redesigned in the second half of the 18th century. But it was only a century later that Maurizio Eula from Savigliano presented the building project that the citizens wanted so much and that was realised by the impresario Poncini from Lugano. It was inaugurated in April 1836 but it was in 1899 that it was named after the Milanollo sisters, violinists from Savigliano who achieved international fame.

The theatre today represents the elegant and harmonious Neoclassical style with a sober façade, consisting of a forepart, two side wings and a cornice with an attic above. Three symbolic statues welcome visitors: the Genius of Victory, with its central position at the top, celebrates Music and Poetry, while Melpomene and Thalia, positioned in the two niches on either side of the entrance, identify Tragedy and Comedy respectively. The interior is also elegant; the large chandelier in the centre of the vault, the scenic Sala del ridotto and the imposing curtain, rarely seen but still preserved, are some of the marvels created by the artists P. Ayres and A. Moia.

Today, after several renovations that allowed it to reopen in 2011, the theatre can accommodate more than 300 people, who are entertained every year by a rich theatre season.

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