Eternal Theatre
In the heart of Verona rises a colossus of pink limestone, built in the first half of the 1st century AD, when the Roman Empire was at the height of its splendour. It is the Arena, one of the best-preserved amphitheatres in the world. Older than the Colosseum, it could hold up to 30,000 spectators; here gladiatorial games, hunts with wild beasts, and public shows entertained the population. After the fall of the Roman Empire, the Arena lived through centuries of transformations: it was used as a stone quarry, as the stage for medieval tournaments, bullfights and civic festivities. Then, in 1117, an earthquake destroyed much of the upper ring; that was when the section still standing became the solitary Wing we know today.
But the Arena is not only ancient history; it is also folk legend, handed down orally for centuries. One of the most fascinating concerns precisely the incompleteness of the outer ring, known as “the Wing”. The legend tells that a prisoner, to save himself from the death sentence, promised the rulers to build a grandiose arena in a single night. He made a pact with the devil, who sent his demons to erect the work with infernal speed.
The walls were rising before one’s eyes, but at dawn the prisoner repented, prayed fervently, and the crowing of the rooster interrupted the work of the infernal creatures, allowing the prisoner’s contrite soul to receive grace. The demons disappear, and the Arena remains unfinished; from there is born its asymmetrical appearance, still visible today. The modern turning point comes in 1913, with a bold vision : to celebrate the centenary of Giuseppe Verdi by staging “Aida” in the Arena. An ambitious idea, made real thanks to the Veronese tenor Giovanni Zenatello and the impresario Ottone Rovato.
That evening marked the birth of the summer opera festival, which since then has brought onto the ancient sand hundreds of performances, among them “Maria Callas”, in her debut, in 1947. Today the Arena is managed by the Fondazione Arena di Verona, founded in 1998, to enhance and protect this unique territory. Every summer it attracts spectators from all over the world and generates an enormous cultural, tourist and economic impact for the city. The stage hosts not only opera, but also concerts, ballets and major events.
E così, tra realtà e rappresentazioni, l’Arena di Verona continua a vivere, non solo come monumento, ma come corpo vivo che, ogni sera, da duemila anni, si anima davanti agli occhi del mondo. E se arrivi dal lago di Garda, nessun problema!: c’è il servizio serale di “Opera Bus”, che ti porta direttamente in Arena, e ti riaccompagna a fine spettacolo. Pratico, comodo e pensato per chi vuole godersi la magia senza troppi stress.