In Verona, you have an opportunity to visit an ancient Rome amphitheater, built 2000 years ago. That time battles of gladiators and gymnasts’ performances took place there.
Just imagine, what the treasure exists in Rome! By the way, Verona Arena is in good condition and is functioning nowadays, hopefully, not in an original way. Of course, the amphitheater has a long history. At the beginning of the 12th century, it was damaged because of an earthquake in the north-east of Italy. The part of the arena was ruined, and the smart citizens took the fallen bricks away.
During the Middle Ages, inquisitors put the dissidents to death in public on Arena. After a while, people organized knight’s battles and public celebrations. At the end of the 18th – the beginning of the 19th century Verona Arena was the place of the corrida.
Only in the middle of the 19th century, amphitheater officially became the arena for some opera performances. The first shown spectacles were “The Barber of Seville” of Gioachino Rossini and “The Elixir of Love” of Gaetano Donizetti.
In 1913 Italy celebrated the 100th anniversary of Verdi, so “Aida” was firstly put on the stage. The opera was put on the open air, so none of the decorations were necessary – only actors, atmosphere, and spectators. The opera and the place were so impressive that it was decided to make the annual opera festival.
The only problem is that the Arena is closed in wintertime. But in March the season starts with the ballet staging and symphony orchestra. April is the time of the main opera. In Mai Verona Arena again invites spectators to the evenings of ballet and orchestra. And from June to August the main masters of the world opera come to Verona to perform on a historical stage. Of course, one of the popular performances is Romeo and Julietta.