The concerts take place in the magnificent Theatre of Palazzo Santa Chiara, situated inside a
historical building in the centre of Rome, only 100 meters walk from the Pantheon.

Palazzo Santa Chiara’s History

Palazzo Santa Chiara, once the Teatro Rossini, is located in one of the most beautiful areas of central Rome, Palazzo di Santa Chiara, between Largo di Torre Argentina and the Pantheon.

Housed in a palace that dates back to the mid-1700s, it was built where, previously, there was a dwelling of Dominican nuns, in one of whose rooms St. Catherine of Siena died in 1380.

The institution that owned the property, the Archconfraternity of the Santissima Annunziata, in 1873 granted part of the palace to Roman impresarios who made it into a theater, by Virgilio Vespignani, which was inaugurated on Feb. 7, 1874, with a performance by the famous Adelaide Ristori, in the presence of the future royals of Italy and the highest city and noble authorities.

Chroniclers of the time wrote, "It is a most elegant little theater."

In the early days, operas by Rossini, Verdi and Bellini alternated with performances of various arts, and on January 19, 1879, the Romanesque operetta "Meo Petacca," performed by Filippo Tamburri, the most important dialect actor of the time, was performed for the first time.

On April 20, 1886, the theater returned to Santissima Annunziata, which made it, first the home of the Declè Bookstore and then the archives of the Archconfraternity.

On April 21, 1950, the old Teatro Rossini reopens by Checco Durante, a Roman dialect actor and poet.

In early 1976 Checco Durante died, and the direction passed to his wife Anita and son-in-law Enzo Liberti: the group became "Compagnia Stabile del teatro di Roma Checco Durante."

Since 1990, Alfiero Alfieri, with Anita Durante, has been giving audiences moments of healthy euphoria, thanks to colorful comedy.

In 1992 Anita left the stage and Alfieri continued, alone, until 2005.

From that year, until July 2008, the management is by impresario Mario Smeriglio.

In August 2008, a new chapter begins for the theater: entrepreneur Gustavo Cuccurullo takes over its management and, with a radical renovation, both aesthetic and functional, makes Palazzo Santa Chiara one of the most beautiful and prestigious theatrical facilities intended for hosting events in our country.