Teatro San Samuele

One of the most important Venetian theatres of the 17th and 18th centuries, the Teatro San Samuele was constructed in 1656 through a commission made by the Grimani family a year earlier.

Initially the theatre was used primarily for plays but in the 18th century the house became more closely associated with opera and ballet.

[2] A new theatre was built in almost identical design and opened in May 1748 as opulent competition for the Teatro San Giovanni Grisostomo.

In 1770 the Grimani family had been forced to sell the theatre due to the economic crisis that hit the Venetian aristocracy.

In the third edition of Murray's Hand-book for travellers in northern Italy (1847) Sir Francis Palgrave reported "It is a pretty theatre well adapted for hearing.