Page 43 - The Venice Biennale 2001 issue of World of Art Magazine

49. Biennale di venezia
the arsenale theatres

The 1999 and 2000 restoration projects
enabled the biennale di venezia to create two
new theatre spaces within the Arsenale, thus
re-drawing the map of theatre life within the
city. both the Teatro Piccolo Arsenale and the
Teatro alle Tese were created by means of
“lightweight”- easily reversible - conversion
projects, which have made it possible to
put them to new use without permanently
distorting their architectural characteristics.

teatro Piccolo arsenale
in 2000 the former Arsenale Cinema became
a theatre space with a proscenium arch stage
and seating for 328. This is equipped with
a suspension ring and advanced lighting (a
dimmer cabin with more than 100 channels
and a state-of-the-art control panel), as well
as with stage furnishings and facilities for
both public and actors.

teatro alle tese

The buildings of the sixteenth-century Tese 49. Biennale Di veneziA
comprise four equal-sized structures
(formerly open slipways); built in 1564 to
designs by Jacopo Sansovino, these stand
alongside each other and are connected by
wide arches. After being opened to the
public in 1999 - when they housed part of
the dAPeRTutto biennale - they were then
adapted for use as an open and modular
theatre space, which the biennale di venezia
conceived of as an area that could also be
used for musical activities and congresses
(with a total seating capacity of 500, divided
between stalls and raised tiers). This open
space can be used for experimentation,
for creative studies, and for works of
theatre, music and dance that require a non-
traditional use of space and a non-traditional
alignment of public and stage.

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