VisitaMilano

  Teatro Strehler
Founded in Milan in 1947 by Paolo Grassi and Giorgio Strehler (who together directed it up until 1967; after which Grassi remained alone at the helm of the Piccolo until he was nominated as Superintendent of the Scala in 1972. Subsequently Strehler directed the theatre until his death in 1997), the Piccolo Teatro is the first example of stable organization within the theatrical scene in Italy. Its curtains opened for the first time on the 14th of May 1947 with the "Hotel of Poor ones" by Gorkij, a night where the entire cultural and show business society of Milan filled the stalls of the theatre. For a long time it was limited to the small hall in via Rovello; but already by the '60s Strehler and Grassi fought to have a larger building. After many vicissitudes the whole complex of the true 'town of theatre' dreamt by Grassi and Strehler was finally completed in 1998. Grassi had already been dead for more than a decade and Strehler passed away on Christmas night in 1997. Today the Piccolo Teatro has three halls (the historical building in via Rovello called Grassi Hall, the experimental hall of the Teatro Studio, inaugurated in 1987 and the New Headquarters called Strehler Theatre), is directed by Sergio Escobar, the aesthetical decisions coming under the responsibility of Luca Ronconi.

 Argomm Teatro
Argomm Teatro is an association that not only produces shows but also develops projects in areas characterised by social hardship, within the territory, within prisons and in particular within the prison of San Vittore, where, from 1998 to 2001 a theatre workshop for training, production and research took place. It also collaborates with various Italian and European realities for the development and the promotion of a theatre that is attentive to places, customs and man.

 Atelier Carlo Colla e Figli
Carlo Colla and Sons' Puppet Company boasts almost thirty years of work in the theatre of figures and its shows put on both nationally and internationally are done with a repertoire that spans from opera music (Aida, Nabucco, the Trovatore), to ballet (Excelsior, Petruschka, Sheherazade), to historical and popular storytelling (around the world in eighty days, Guerrin Meschino and the Betrothed) as well as fairytales (Puss in Boots, Cinderella, Aladdin's Lamp, Alì Baba) and the zarzuela and choreographic action.

 Auditorium di Milano Fondazione Cariplo
The Auditorium of Milan, which is the 'Music Home' for the Giuseppe Verdi Symphonic Orchestra and Choir of Milan, was inaugurated in October 1999. The Auditorium of Milan was created by restructuring the hall of the Massimo Movie Theatre, designed by Alessandro Rimini in 1939 and inactive for many years. The restoration, made possible thanks to the help of the businessman Agostino Liuni, has been carried out following a project of Studio Marzorati.

 Bì - La fabbrica del gioco e delle arti
This is the first centre entirely dedicated to childhood. One of the most important European collections of vintage toys can be found inside the Museo del Giocattolo e del Bambino (the Museum of Toys and the Child). This collection follows a chronological and thematic route that goes from the 1700s to the 1970s. Here visitors can see dolls, toy soldiers, street games, books, comics and even the first video games. The Teatro del Buratto was founded in Milan in 1975 and is specialized in activities and shows for children and can host up to 300 children. The Bì also has a library for children and creative rooms and laboratories. This two thousand square meter structure was obtained from the architectural renovation of a former cotton mill from the 1900s.

 Ciak Theatre Webank.it c/o Fabbrica del Vapore
The Ciak Theatre is unique and its peculiarity is found in its origins. It was 1977 and Leo Wachter decided to create a theatre which could offer a mixed playbill to its audience. And so Ciak was created, within the former Dea movie theatre, in what was at that time the periphery of Milan, presenting a very original programme involving the showing of two movies, with an hour long comedy show in between, a formula which was met with favor by the audience. Still presently the programme of the Ciak Theatre is varied and original. It alternates political satire, cabaret and music for a curious and mixed audience.

 Cinema Teatro Wagner
1950's building annex to the St. Peter in Sala church oratory. The movie theater was renovated in the 90's, eliminating the balcony and bringing the theater up to standards with new audio-video systems. Five seats are reserved for the handicapped.

 CineTeatro Pax
Theatre.

 Ex Ospedale Paolo Pini

 Fabbrica del Vapore (Steam Factory)
The Fabbrica del Vapore is located on the former headquarters of Carminati & Toselli, a company involved in spare parts for railways and tramways, converted into a multi-function centre. The structure, an example of late 19th Century industrial archaeology, cover approximately 30,000 m2 used for different entertainment proposals all year long, such as workshops, art exhibitions and cultural events.

 La Casa del Teatro Officina
The Officina Theatre, founded in 1973 as part of the cultural decentralization movement, hosted major national companies (from the Gruppo della Rocca to the Teatro dell'Elfo, from Remondi e Caporossi to Memè Perlini) in the '70s, in its historical headquarters in viale Monza 140, Milan. In those same years it was also the seat of a school of folk music, organizing concerts of singer-songwriters such as G. Marini, G. Bertelli, P. Pietrangeli, I. della Mea, G. Mantovani and the jazz musicians Gaslini and Liguori. The seat of Viale Monza 140 was closed in 1984 due to being unfit for use; the Officina theatre continued its activity in a new building located in Via S. Elembardo 2 in Milan.

 La Scala Opera House
Destroyed by fire in 1775, the theatre set up on a wing of the Palazzo Reale, the court of Vienna and Theatre Society came in agreement to move the theatre to a larger walled structure. They demolished the XIV century church of Santa Maria della Scala. In 1776-78 Permarini built a canonical room in horse-shoe shape, with six galleries for box and gallery seating, besides guaranteeing optimal acoustic quality, the wooden trusses hid a fire extinguishing reservoir. The façade, with a drive-through porch and pediment decorated by reliefs of Apollo's Carriage was expanded in 1830 from two wings into a terrace (Sanquirico et al). Several times, the interiors were remodelled (foyer and decorations); in 1906 Arturo Toscanini ordered the introduction of orchestra pit (until 1891 the stalls, all level and without fixed seats, could be used for parties and balls). Reconstructed by Secchi after it suffered war damage, it underwent renewed restoration efforts from 2002 to 2005.

 Litta Theatre
Litta is the oldest theatre still active in Milan, located in the historical centre, occupying a wing of the aristocratic palace Arese-Litta, built in the 16th and 17th century. Palace Litta, at present considered one of the most significant works of Late Baroque Lombard architecture, represented until the end of last century one of most lively cultural, political and economical centres of the town. The aristocratic theatre was used for entertainment of the family and of its guests: its fame also derives from the luxurious receptions and parties which took place there. The Palace is owned by the former State Railway Company and is a national monument. It was totally restructured in 1984.

 Opera dei Pupi - Teatro Drammatico dei Pupi
The Opera dei Pupi Theatre is a sicilian and puppet theatre. It was declared inalienable heritage of humanity by Unesco, it is in an almost irreversible extinction. Only three or four theaters around the world, not coordinated, still resist. The Sicilian Puppet is one of the most important popular tradition in the history of the italian theatre.

 Oscar - Pacta. Dei Teatri
Former parish theatre (S. Pio V) in the '60s. Totally restructured and made norm-compliant in 1998. The theatre is being used by the Tieffe Teatro Stabile Company, which for many previous seasons ran the historic Teatro Filodrammatici.