Beyond Teatro la Fenice - Venice’s Hidden Operatic Past

18th-century Venice conjures a world of carnivals and masked figures, but aristocratic visitors flooded there for another reason: an opportunity to see the latest novelty, the relatively new art-form of opera. Venice was a major operatic centre, with numerous opera houses presenting the latest music. The city pioneered another novelty too: the idea that going to a theatre might not be a private affair (done by invitation), but anyone who could rent a box could go. Modern day Venice has a number of theatres surviving from the 18^th century, but also some intriguing traces of lost ones too. A trip round them provides evocative traces of a lost, elegant way of life. Find out more on my article on TheCultureTrip.com website.