Also known as the Teatro Costanzi, Rome’s leading theatre is an attractive opera house, which puts on extravagant opera productions, interspersed with ballets. The Teatro dell’Opera has its own orchestra and ballet company, both of a high standard.
The theatre is located at Piazza Gigli, and is five minutes walk from Repubblica Metro Station (Linea A), and close to Stazione Termini. From Repubblica, take the first left off Via Nazionale (Via Torino), and you’ll find the theatre on your right. There are several bars and restaurants nearby.The Teatro dell’Opera also puts on a few events at other venues, check when you buy tickets.
Italians dress up generally, and although jeans can very occasionally be glimpsed at the theatre, a certain degree of smartness is de rigueur. Evening dress is often worn to first nights, which can be glittering, paparazzi-attended occasions. Whatever you choose to wear to a performance, you are unlikely to feel over-dressed.
It’s also worth noting that Saturday and Sunday performance take place early (usually 6pm on a Saturday, and around 5pm on a Sunday). There are usually no performances on Mondays.
Tickets and seating for the Teatro dell’Opera
The majority of the seating is in boxes, although you buy tickets individually. Consequently, you can end up sharing a box with strangers. For this reason the Italians queue outside before the doors are opened (about half an hour before curtain up), and rush to get the best place in the box. Some of the boxes higher up on the side can be very cheap, especially if you also qualify for a discount. Good value seats are available in the top-level Galleria and in the Balconata beneath. Both of these have good, uninterrupted views.
Students, young people under 25, and the over-65s qualify for half-price tickets (not for first nights or for the cheapest seats). Holders of some train tickets are also eligible for discounts, check with the box office.You save a 10% booking fee if you buy tickets on the day of the performance, but for popular events it’s definitely worth buying in advance. You can buy tickets in person at various outlets in Rome, but the people in the box office (to the left-hand side of the main entrance) are very helpful. Box office opening hours are generally Tuesday – Saturday 9am-5pm and Sunday 9am-1:30pm, opening again one hour before performances. In the summer the hours may be reduced (and during the theatre’s closed period in August/September, the box office also closes, although you can buy tickets online).
Prices vary depending on the production: opera is more expensive than ballet, first nights are more expensive, and the summer season can be very cheap as few Italians go to the theatre.
Tickets can be bought online from the theatre website, and printed.
On this site
Useful external links