Milan's historic Teatro Nuovo closes permanently after 84 years

Teatro Nuovo, a historic theater on Piazza San Babila in Milan, has closed permanently. The venue, which opened on December 22, 1938, will be replaced by a commercial business, reportedly a restaurant by Nusr-Et known for expensive steaks. The closure marks the end of a cultural landmark that survived World War II and hosted legendary performers. Designed by architect Emilio Lancia, the theater was initially proposed to be named "Teatro Amba Aradàm" or "Teatro D'Annunzio" but was named Teatro Nuovo by its first director Remigio Paone, an antifascist and friend of Luigi Pirandello. Paone programmed daring works during the war, including Brecht's Threepenny Opera and plays by Jewish author Szilagyi, leading to his arrest and exile in Rome until 1945. After the war, the theater featured a rotating central stage and hosted stars like Totò, Anna Magnani, Vittorio Gassman, and Marcello Mastroianni. Following Paone's death in 1977, management passed to Franco Ghizzo, who introduced musicals and dialect productions. Later performers included Liza Minnelli, Julio Iglesias, Jerry Lewis, and Carla Fracci. In 2013, Lorenzo Vitali took over until the final closure. The theater's demise is attributed to pandemic restrictions, economic crisis, and changing entertainment habits, leaving Milan's historic center culturally impoverished.