Theater

Yves Montand Theater – Monsummano Terme

The theater bearing Yves Montand’s name is a small building built by the people of Monsummano between 1892 and 1896, the year in which its regular activity began, curated by the academy poet and by Giuseppe Giusti (another famous individual from Monsummano to whom the theater was later dedicated) .

In 1928, the theater building underwent a major overhaul, adding a new block with a new façade. Thus, it became Palazzo del Littorio or the so-called Casa del Fascio, the local fascist headquarters. It continued to be used for performances, with varying success, until it closed completely in the 1960s.

After that, divided into a number of properties, the theater remained inactive and closed to the public. After a long and complicated process, the Municipality of Monsummano Terme purchased it in December 1998. Some reinforcement work was immediately undertaken to stop the structure from deteriorating. In 2002, the restoration project was approved and work began in 2003 and ended last fall.

The theater looks like a classic Italian theater, with 316 seats between stalls, boxes, and a balcony distributed on three levels. The stage is large enough to accommodate any kind of show.

The unanimous decision by the city’s representatives to name the municipal theater after Yves Montand came from a desire to promote his Monsummano roots by paying tribute to his dazzling career as an actor and chansonnier. However, as the mayor pointed out, it was also a sort of tribute and collective recognition of the man persecuted by a regime that had made that building a place symbolic of its power.

YVES MONTAND THEATER 
Piazza del Popolo, 89 – Monsummano Terme

Informations
ASSOCIAZIONE TEATRALE PISTOIESE
Tel. +39 0573 991609 – 27112

www.teatridipistoia.it – atp@teatridipistoia.it

On the web:
Other info on the Yves Montand theater