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Regio Theather (Royal Theater)

One of the most famous opera houses in the world, the neo-classical Teatro Regio was commissioned by Maria Luigia, second wife of Napoleon Bonaparte, and built in 1829 by Nicola Bettoli. It was inaugurated in 1829 with the opera Zaira, composed for the occasion by Vincenzo Bellini. In 1843 Verdi dedicated the opera I Lombardi to Duchess Maria Luigia.

The theater hosts an important opera season (September to May) and the annual Verdi Opera Festival (July to October) and its archives house all correspondence and artwork relating to the theater.