The theater was hastily completed to host this singular event, but Cosimo II de’ Medici’s visit did not take place. For these reasons, the inauguration took place only a decade later to celebrate the marriage between Odoardo Farnese and Cosimo’s daughter, Margherita de’ Medici.
Located on the first floor of the Palazzo della Pilotta, the Farnese Theatre features an entrance portal surmounted by a ducal crown. The auditorium was not only intended for seating the audience in the galleries but also for the continuation of the performance beyond the stage.
The performances held there were majestic and highly avant-garde: advanced machinery, skilled dancers, multiple orchestras playing from different points on the stage and in the auditorium… Undoubtedly, the sounds of these diverse ensembles playing different pieces would overlap, but the effect at that time was truly fascinating!
It was only used nine times for significant occasions before being nearly completely destroyed in 1944 during bombings. The current appearance seeks to evoke the splendor of the original architecture commissioned by Ranuccio I Farnese.