Type:

Luoghi della cultura; Oggetto fisico

Category:

Architectural Heritage; Museums

The Teatro Bontempelli is in the small center of Citerna, a burgh in the northern part of Umbria, right at the border with Tuscany. It saw the light as a small private theater at the beginning of the 18th century, as an annex to the countryside home of the noble family of the Vitelli, with which it is connected by a bridge-like terrace above the main road. After a period of abandonment, at the beginning of the 1800s the property shifted to the Municipality, which rebuilt a rather simple theater audience hall, with a wooden stage, some mobile scenes, some benches and eight brick columns to support the gallery. The rather serious damage procured by the 1917 earthquake required some restoration work. At this point the room acquired a new Art Nouveau light gallery with a curved plan, supported by six pig-iron fluted columns with acanthus capitals. The metal baluster displays a honeycomb pattern with a central motif depicting a Lyre. A flight of wooden steps leads up to this sort of tribune of honor facing the stage, which can host a few spectators. Restored once more during the 20th century, it was reopened and brought back to full activity in 1991. Its full capacity is 99 spectators.