Teatro Ventidio Basso

The Teatro Ventidio Basso takes its name from Ventidius Bassus, a Roman hero of Ascoli origins who, after being a prisoner during the Social War, became a valiant soldier and politician receiving honors from Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. The theatrical tradition in Ascoli dates back to the 16th century, with a movable stage mounted in the Palazzo dell'Arengo, which later transformed into a wooden theatre named after the hero. In 1839, the old theatre was closed and in 1846 a new masonry theatre, designed by Ireneo Aleandri, with a neoclassical facade, was inaugurated. The interior, decorated with sculptures and frescoes, became a venue for cultural and social events. In 1872, the painter Cicconi redid the decorations on the vault and, in 1907, the theatre was brought up to standard for fire safety. After various changes and acquisitions by the Municipality, the theatre became municipal in 1932 and closed in 1979 for renovations. On October 15, 1994, the theater reopened with a grandiose production of “La Traviata”, marking a new chapter in its long history.