This Week in Classical Music: March 23, 2026. Venice. In the 17th-18th centuries, Venice was the epicenter of the opera world. The first public opera theater, Teatro San Cassiano, opened there in 1637, and a year later, the second one, Teatro Santi Giovanni e Paolo, was built. By the end of the 17th century, Venice had about six working opera houses, give or take: fires were common and were the main cause for theaters closing, and new ones were built. Today, Venice has two: the famous La Fenice, built in 1792, and a much older Teatro Malibran. Named after the great soprano sfogato, it was inaugurated in 1678 and, for a while, was the largest theater in Venice. La Fenice burned to the ground three times: in 1774, 1856, and in 1996 (it was reopened in its current form in 2004). These days, operas are not staged in Venice as often as one would hope, but a visit to La Fenice is inspiring, so, instead of an opera, we heard a recital given by Evgeny Kissin. A short review will follow soon.
Venice, 2026
This Week in Classical Music: March 23, 2026. Venice. In the 17th-18th centuries, Venice was the epicenter of the opera world. The first public opera theater, Teatro San Cassiano, opened there in_-_Facade.jpg "La Fenice")
1637, and a year later, the second one, Teatro Santi Giovanni e Paolo, was built. By the end of the 17th century, Venice had about six working opera houses, give or take: fires were common and were the main cause for theaters closing, and new ones were built. Today, Venice has two: the famous La Fenice, built in 1792, and a much older Teatro Malibran. Named after the great soprano sfogato, it was inaugurated in 1678 and, for a while, was the largest theater in Venice. La Fenice burned to the ground three times: in 1774, 1856, and in 1996 (it was reopened in its current form in 2004). These days, operas are not staged in Venice as often as one would hope, but a visit to La Fenice is inspiring, so, instead of an opera, we heard a recital given by Evgeny Kissin. A short review will follow soon.