The “La Rondinella” Theater is a classic example of a “Favor Theater,” typical of small towns in the Marche region. Its history begins at the end of the 18th century, when it was built to satisfy the growing interest of the Montefanesi people in Melodrama.
In 1887, the theater was redesigned by engineer Virgilio Tombolini, at the time Technical Director of the “La Fenice” Theater in Venice. The design, which anticipated the Art Nouveau style, replaced the old wooden structures with new materials such as iron.
The theater, located on the Piano Nobile of the Old Town Hall, is accessible via a wide stone staircase with a fine iron handrail. An elegant foyer, known as the “Poets’ Room,” welcomes spectators. Here, a ceiling decorated with the city coat of arms and the coat of arms of the Carradori family frames bas-relief medallions with portraits of great figures such as Dante Alighieri and Giacomo Leopardi.
The main hall is a masterpiece in itself: the marvelous ceiling, frescoed by Perugian painter Domenico Bruschi, depicts the Muses Thalia and Melpomene (who watch over Comedy and Tragedy) and Euterpe and Terpsichore (who inspire Lyric Poetry and Dance), interspersed with roundels symbolizing the four ages of man. The cast-iron railings of the boxes, reminiscent of precious lace, are embellished with stucco sculptures depicting the Sphinx.
After a period of closure in the 1980s, the theater was returned to the community with a restoration completed in 2004, once again becoming a beating heart of Montefano’s cultural life.
