Roman Theatre of Milan
About
This was the first large public building the Romans raised at Mediolanum, going up in the Augustan era with room for up to 9,000 spectators. Its stage wall rose 20 meters and its curved cavea spanned 95 meters, a scale meant to announce the colony's ambitions. Performances continued here into the 4th or 5th century before it fell out of use. Its foundations now sit in the basement of Palazzo Turati, home to Milan's Chamber of Commerce.
What happened here
Seating is the message: the front rows are reserved by law for the town council, and everyone can see who is sitting where. The building is a half-circle against a tall stone backdrop that also serves as a permanent set, and the acoustics are good enough that an actor can be heard without effort. The programme is mime and pantomime more than the old tragedies — bawdy, topical, sometimes politically sharp enough that performers get exiled. Audiences are loud, partisan, and quite prepared to shout a piece down. Awnings and perfumed water sprays are laid on when the sponsor is generous. Shows are attached to religious festivals and paid for by a magistrate who wants the credit, and his name is on the seating.
Sources
Nearby
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