Rome's Teatro Valle Transforms into Recording Studio and Rehearsal Space During Pandemic

Rome's historic Teatro Valle, closed for years due to restoration disputes, has been repurposed as a recording studio and workspace for artists and companies amid COVID-19 theater closures. Since December 2020, over sixty artists, performers, and technicians are producing nine radio dramas blending science and science fiction, set to premiere on the digital platform #TdRonline. The theater also hosts rehearsals for Giorgio Barberio Corsetti's 'La Metamorfosi.' Originally built in 1727 by Tommaso Morelli for Camillo Capranica, the theater was occupied in 2011 by activists protesting its closure by the Ente Teatrale Italiano (ETI). After a three-year occupation, it was returned to municipal authorities for restoration. In 2018, it was entrusted to Teatro di Roma, reopening as an exhibition space with a Mimmo Paladino show. A planned Luca Ronconi exhibition was postponed due to the pandemic. Now, the Valle serves as a production hub for audio installations, transforming into a 'sound box' for public listening experiences once live performances resume.