Located at Via Giuseppe Garibaldi, 4, the Teatro Accademico is a masterpiece of 18th-century architecture designed in 1746 by Francesco Maria Preti (Castelfranco Veneto: 19 May 1701 – 23 December 1774), the same mind behind the majestic Duomo di Santa Maria Assunta e San Liberale and Villa Pisani in Stra (VE).
Built between 1754 and 1780, the Teatro Accademico was commissioned by the Società degli Accademici, a prestigious cultural circle very active in Castelfranco whose most eminent members included prominent mathematicians such as Jacopo and Giordano Riccati.
Conceived as an anatomical theatre, that is, as a meeting place for academics to carry out their scientific activity, the structure stands out for its square plan, whose centre corresponds to the centre of the stalls. At the specific request of the patrons, Francesco Maria Preti created a space that could be enjoyed both during the daylight hours, through the natural light of the sun, and at night, with the use of candles, torches and flares.
The building’s standout feature is its perfect acoustics, exceptionally audible from every point thanks to the application of the Media Armonica Proporzionale, a mathematical formula conceived by Giovanni Rizzetti. On either side of the stalls open two enchanting symmetrical loggias, marked by pristine columns topped with gilded Corinthian capitals.
From 1853 to 1858, work was carried out on the construction of the foyer and the façade, built to designs by the engineer Antonio Barea of Castelfranco.
In 1858, engineer Antonio Barea and the Venetian architect Giambattista Meduna were commissioned by Count Francesco Revedin, the city’s podestà, to refurbish the Teatro Accademico. This intervention brought about a radical change to Preti’s original design. The rustic rusticated base was removed, and the elegant serlianas were walled up. The ceiling was brought down, and the Canaletto decorations that had softened its surface were replaced by frescoes and tempera paintings by the Venetian artist Sebastiano Santi.
The new decorative scheme of the vault depicts the allegory of Immortality, seated between the personifications of Virtue and Glory as she bestows laurel wreaths on writers, scientists and artists born in Castelfranco.
In 1970, the municipality of Castelfranco Veneto purchased the Teatro Accademico and restored it to its former splendour through a meticulous restoration project. Carried out from 1973 to 1977, this intervention gave new life to the Teatro as a venue for cultural events, conferences, theatre performances and exhibitions.
If you are planning a visit to Castelfranco Veneto, we also recommend reading 10 things to do in Castelfranco Veneto.
