Teatro Bellini
In a city where theatre has always been part of everyday life, Teatro Bellini is far more than just a building. It is a creative hub, a crossroads of languages, and a cultural landmark in the heart of Naples.
Located on Via Conte di Ruvo, just steps from the Conservatory and the Archaeological Museum, today it is one of the most active and renowned theatres in Italy. But its story is one of rises and falls.
From grandeur to decline — and back again
Inaugurated in 1878 as an opera house, the Bellini enjoyed a golden era in the early 20th century, hosting drama, operettas, films, and concerts. But between the 1960s and 1980s, it fell silent — closed, damaged, and forgotten.
The turning point came in 1987, when a group of young actors and directors led by Gabriele Russo and Tato Russo decided to reopen it.
Since then, the Bellini has come back to life — not simply as a restored theatre, but as a space renewed in spirit and mission.
An open, multidisciplinary theatre
Today, Teatro Bellini is a true home for the arts. Its programme includes theatre seasons, contemporary dance, authorial productions, international shows, and experimental works.
Alongside the main hall, the Piccolo Bellini is dedicated to research and emerging companies. The theatre also hosts workshops, talks, school projects, and training programmes.
The audience is diverse — young people, students, enthusiasts, and cultural tourists — all drawn to a space where art is always relevant and never predictable.
A theatre in dialogue with the city
The Bellini is not isolated from the city — it actively engages with Naples’ cultural life, collaborates with local communities, supports new playwriting, and promotes the contemporary Neapolitan scene.
From renowned international directors to bold new voices, each season is curated as a journey into the present, blending irony, pain, poetry, and reflection.
Teatro Bellini proves that Naples is not just tradition — it’s also creation.
A city that doesn’t just preserve its myths, but questions them, reinterprets them, and puts them on stage.
And Bellini, with its rich history and creative energy, is one of the places where it all happens.
