Communal Theatre of Ceglie Messapica

The project of the Communal Theatre of Ceglie Messapica was born in a process of great urban expansion at the end of the 19th century and was designed by the engineer Antonio Guariglia from Lecce.\n\nThe theatre has an elegant neoclassical structure with a refined semi-circular arch entrance and baroque decorative nuances. The carvings, moldings and rustication of the façade were made from the ductile local stone worked by masters Salvatore and Cosimo Cavallo, while Giuseppe Nannavecchia and Vito Ciniero were responsible for the stucco and pictorial works.\n\nNamed after the poet and playwright Giuseppe Giacosa, it was inaugurated in 1878 with the staging of the opera “Un ballo in maschera” by Giuseppe Verdi.\n\nDuring the 20th century the building also became a cinema and a wedding hall. Today, after the restorations, the theatre has returned to its former glory with a total of 350 seats between the stalls and the galleries.