Teatro Balconi, Italy

Teatro Balconi has an opulent Art Nouveau feel to the architecture, suggesting it dates back to at least the latter part of the 19th Century. The entrance hall features some retro ticket booths/box office counters, from here patrons would go upstairs to the theatre and take their seats ready for musical or theatrical performances.

This cavernous performance house features a large wooden stage with an impressive proscenium arch, decorated with gold-painted plaster mouldings. These feature trumpets and musical manuscripts, either side of a vase-shaped central icon (possibly a stylised representation of a harp). The stage is splintering and collapsing and is hazardous to walk on.

Below the proscenium arch, on either side, there are three private VIP boxes. These are stacked vertically above each other and would offer the best views of performances. Lining the sides of the theatre in front of the stage are three other levels of private boxes, offering slightly cheaper options for box seating. There are 30 of these boxes in total. There may have been additional box-type seating on the level above, but most of this level appears to have collapsed or been damaged beyond repair and cleared away.

There is a large orchestra pit between the stage and the stalls seating area. The balcony area facing the stage, at the back of the theatre, features original rows of red upholstered chairs. The bannister at the front of the balcony is starting to collapse at one side, sagging down towards the lower level. 

Large areas of the roof have collapsed, both above the performance area of the stage and above the seating areas. A steel girder-supported metal roof has been constructed above the seating area, in an attempt to protect the Teatro Balconi.