“La Vittoria” Theater

Built in the right wing of the town hall erected in 1749 to a design by the architect Antonio Maria Carbonari Geminiani, construction work on the current theatre, designed by the architect Francesco Fellini di Barbara, began in 1863 and replaced the previous one from the 18th century

The current structure of the municipal theatre “La Vittoria”, incorporated into the town hall, dates back to 1863.
In Ostra, however, three different theatres have changed over time, the first of which stood in the 18th century, in what is still called “Via del Teatro”, near the hospital. In ancient times, the theatre was owned by a condominium and the noble owners of the stages were gathered in a congregation that organised the performances annually. Theatrical seasons were usually long and the companies never stopped on site for less than 15 days. Each year, 30 to 40 shows were performed, which were usually held in conjunction with the patron saint’s day (October) and Carnival. The genres were varied, from comic to dramatic, from musical theatre to concerts. Curious detail: the congregation of condominiums observed the singular custom of allocating the proceeds of an evening to the souls in purgatory. In the second half of the 19th century, due to the increasing economic burdens of management, theatrical activity became considerably impoverished. Left to its own devices the theatre began to show the first signs of decay and was soon declared unfit for use. In 1858, driven by strong pressure from the citizens, the condominium congregation commissioned the architect Ghinelli to restore the building. But the project presented fell into thin air. In 1861 the citizens of Ostra renewed their request for the restoration of the theatre with a petition. The Municipality, having liquidated the congregation, directly oversaw the reconstruction, entrusting the project to the architect Francesco Fellini di Barbara. The laying of the foundation stone in the dates back to July 29, 1863 and was inaugurated on Saturday, September 28, 1867, with a reduced number of performances compared to the past. The most represented genres were operetta and acrobatic shows. In 1980, after being used almost exclusively as a cinema, the theatre was closed because it did not comply with new safety regulations. After undergoing extensive renovations, it reopened on January 6, 1998. Since then it has hosted prose performances, children’s theatre, concerts and amateur activities every year. The 78 m2 hall, accessed through a small, elegantly decorated atrium, is horseshoe-shaped. Overlooking it are 29 boxes, distributed on two orders and surmounted by a gallery. The stage has a 5.40 m proscenium arch and houses, in the upper part, ancient stage machinery, still in working order. The curtain also dates back to the time of the original construction. It can accommodate 184 people.