Theaters in Rome

One could argue that Rome has always been about grand theater. After all, this is the city that gave us performance venues like the Coliseum, where hordes of gladiators put on a bloody show for thousands of thrilled spectators. Thankfully nobody needs to actually die in Rome theaters today – at least not literally – and there are definitely some wonderful theaters in Rome worth checking out.

Auditorium Conciliazione is an easy place to start. Although it spent much of its life as the best theater in Rome for classical music performances, nowadays the Conciliazione hosts a widely varied schedule of concerts, dance, and even regular film screenings.

The classical torch has been handed over to the Auditorium Parco della Musica, while big Broadway-level shows are likely to be found over at Teatro Brancaccio, which also holds several concerts each year featuring some of the biggest touring acts around.

Teatro Sistina is also an easy choice for big-budget productions, while Teatro Ghione is a beautiful small Rome theater where you might find well-known international performers one week and a Chopin concert the next.

Those who want a phenomenal chance to practice their Italian should look up The English Theatre of Rome, which is dedicated to presenting plays in English (October–June). The troupe’s diverse annual lineup includes a series called The (Not Only) English Theatre Program, which selects at least one play per season to be performed in both Italian and English, sometimes at the same time!

From historic to modern, classic to fringe, theaters in Rome may not be as exciting as they were in ancient times, but at least they won’t kill you.