10 Best Theatres in Milan

La Scala (Teatro alla Scala) is a famed Milan city centre opera house in a historic building that has showcased the greatest operatic shows and artists for almost 3 centuries. Inaugurated on August 3, 1778, this theatre has hosted many of the greatest singers from Italy and across the world. It is also the home of the La Scala Theatre Ballet, La Scala Theatre Orchestra, La Scala Theatre Chorus and Filarmonica della Scala Orchestra.

La Scala is the home of the La Scala Theatre Academy, a training ground for the next generation of dancers, musicians, stage artists and stage managers. The theatre has seen several major renovations to offer the latest technology while still maintaining its historic charm.

Arcimboldi Theatre (Teatro degli Arcimboldi) is a theatre and opera house offering outstanding performances from respected artists in elegant surroundings with classical decor. This building was originally constructed as a temporary replacement for the main opera house in Milan, but it quickly gained a life of its own and still stands today, more than 20 years after its construction. It was designed by famed architects Vittorio Gregotti, Mario Botta and Elisabetta Fabbri and features elegant, traditional decor.

It seats 2,375 patrons and has expanded its programme from traditional opera to jazz, classical and even pop music. It’s located in the heart of the Milan city centre.

National Theatre CheBanca! (Teatro Nazionale CheBanca!) is an Italian national theatre constructed in 2007 with a mission to present American-style 'first class' musical theatre in the modern tradition. It’s designed to house single productions of long-running shows for residencies of months at a time, similar to the model used in Broadway and London’s West End. Just a few of the important musicals that have been hosted here include 'Beauty and the Beast', 'Flashdance', 'Sister Act', 'Saturday Night Fever' and 'Mamma Mia'.

In addition to musicals, the theatre has expanded its offerings to include cabaret, dance, live performance art and even prose readings. The theatre is located just a 17-minute drive west of the Milan city centre.

Manzoni Theatre (Teatro Manzoni) opened in 1870 on Via Manzoni and has grown in reputation from a small repertory theatre to one that hosts celebrated performers. Originally a neighbourhood repertory theatre, it gained its current name after Alessandro Manzoni died in 1873, at which time it was located on the Piazza San Fedele. As its reputation for quality grew, such famed actors of the day as Sarah Bernhardt performed here until it was destroyed in the Second World War. It was moved to its current home and rebuilt, designed by architect Alziro Bergonzo, in 1950.

The theatre has hosted such notable performances as 'Henry IV', 'Assunta Spina' and 'The Duchess of Padua'. It’s right in the city centre.

Dal Verme Theatre (Teatro Dal Verme) is a performance venue showcasing concerts, plays and dance as well as conferences and exhibitions in the heart of Milan. This historic building was designed by Giuseppe Pestagalli on commission from Count Francesco Dal Verme and hosted operas and plays through the early 20th century. Today it doesn’t generally host opera, but it still hosts modern plays, musical theatre, concerts and other forms of live entertainment in a sleek and updated venue.

The theatre is divided into 2 auditoriums: a main 1,420-seat house and a smaller 200-seat performance space. It also houses exhibition and conference space for local events.

Franco Parenti Theatre (Teatro Franco Parenti) is a famed local theatre and community hub in the heart of Milan showcasing a wide range of live entertainment events. This theatre is different from others in that it is a truly multi-use event space, showcasing not only plays and concerts but book readings and a ton of outdoor events and celebrations. It also hosts a film series showcasing some of the most important cinema events of our day while also hosting some of the finest names in Italian cinema for talks and lectures.

This spot is much more than just a live performance space. It’s a place to truly interact with your favourite creators in a space that encourages passion and creativity.

Strehler Theatre (Piccolo Teatro Strehler) is a cultural powerhouse of Milan’s arts and cultural community as part of the Piccolo Teatro di Milano, the first permanent repertory in Italy. It is one of 3 venues in the Piccolo Teatro Milan, and it hosts concerts, conventions, conferences, plays, musical theatre, films and festivals, and is the home of the Paolo Grassi Drama School. The Strehler Theatre venue opened in 1998 and seats 974 patrons. It hosts approximately 30 performances every year.

The elegant small space was designed by Marco Zanuso and has hosted performances by such masters of the craft as Luca Ronconi, Robert Lepage, Peter Brook, Lev Dodin and Robert Wilson. It’s located in the heart of the city centre.

San Babila Theatre (Teatro San Babila) was constructed in 1964 and used a synthesis of cutting-edge technologies and traditional methods to become an emblem of the vitality of the city. The city centre theatre was built on the wishes of the cardinal of Milan, who would later go on to become Pope Paul VI. It has hosted some of the greatest Italian actors of all time on its stage including Paolo Stoppa, Valeria Valeri, Lilla Brignone, Nino Taranto, Ernesto Calindri, Milena Vukotic, Alessandro Benvenuti, Vanessa Gravina and many others.

The theatre boasts seating for 470 people and is built to offer perfect acoustics. It showcases performances in a wide variety of disciplines from classical plays to musical theatre and beyond.

Elfo Puccini Theatre (Teatro Elfo Puccini) is a venue that seeks to broaden the spread of art and culture through performances that inspire, engage and entertain. This is a theatre and organisation that believes in theatre as an interactive engagement and showcases performances that are ultramodern or reinterpret the classics in a new way. Many of the same actors manage the company as in the 1970s when it opened. It’s situated in the heart of the LGBT+ District about 10 minutes northeast of the city centre.

The theatre considers itself a 'factory' that produces theatre and art, and is open to the whole community. Its goal is to share thoughts and emotions in a way that brings people together.

Nuovo Theatre (Teatro Nuovo) is a legacy theatre that for over 8 decades has showcased comedy, farce, drama, tragedy, live music and even prose readings. It’s divided into 3 halls. The largest, Sala Shakespeare, can hold 500 seats. The Sala Fassbinder theatre hosts up to 210 seats. The smallest, Sala Bausch, holds 94 seats. It was designed by Emilio Lancia and opened in 1938.

While it is largely dedicated to plays, revues and modern musicals, it does occasionally host opera performances, and major artists such as Riccardo Chailly and Piero Cappuccilli have debuted here. The theatre is located in the Piazza San Babila directly in the heart of the city centre.