Teatro Petruzzelli (Petruzzelli Theatre), Bari

The Petruzzelli Theatre (Teatro Petruzzelli) in Bari has a rich history. It was built by the Petruzzelli family and the city administration. Construction began in 1898 and finished in 1903, making it Bari's largest theater and the fourth largest in Italy.

The theater was frescoed by Raffaele Armenise and decorated in pure gold. Also, the theater was equipped with heating and electric light and it had a capacity of 2,192 seats. On February 14, 1903, the grand opening of the Petruzzelli Theatre took place, featuring a performance of Giacomo Meyerbeer's opera Les Huguenots.

During the 1980s, Petruzzelli Theatre gained international recognition by hosting two significant operatic debuts. The first was Niccolò Piccinni's Iphigénie en Tauride, which had not been performed since its premiere in Paris in 1779. The second was the Neapolitan version of Bellini's opera I Puritani, originally written for renowned Spanish singer Maria Malibran but never performed by her. These events played a pivotal role in establishing the city's reputation.

The Petruzzelli Theatre was not limited to opera; it also presented ballets and major concerts. Numerous renowned international artists graced its stage, including Tito Schipa, Herbert von Karajan, Rudolf Nureyev, Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles, Liza Minnelli, and Juliette Gréco. Distinguished Italian artists such as Eduardo De Filippo, Riccardo Muti, Carla Fracci, Luciano Pavarotti, Piero Cappuccilli, and Giorgio Gaber also performed there.