The history of the Ariston Theatre: from the 1960s to the present day

For more than seventy years, the city of Sanremo and the Ariston stage have hosted the Italian Song Festival, otherwise known as the Sanremo Music Festival, where the most important national and international singers (and other artists) continue to perform.

Let’s explore the history of the famous Ariston Theatre and its link with the music festival.

The Sanremo Music Festival

Contrary to popular belief, the most famous Italian music festival was not actually first held at the Ariston Theatre, but in the ballroom of the Sanremo Casino, where 26 editions were held until 1977, when it moved to the Ariston Theatre.

When was the Ariston theatre built?

Before the Festival moved there, the Ariston Theatre had already been in use for a good part of its life, which began on 31st May 1963, when it was inaugurated.

It took ten years of work to build this cinema-theatre. Its conception began just before the 1950s, when Aristide Vacchino bought an open-air cinema; in 1953 work began on the construction of a centre designed for entertainment. This was followed by the construction of:

• the open-air Ariston (1957), an arena right on the roof of the building;
• the Ariston Mignon (1962), later to become the Ritz, a hall that hosts shows;
• the Ariston theatre (1963).

How many seats does the Ariston Theatre in Sanremo have?

In 1963, the year it was inaugurated, the Ariston Theatre had 1960 seats and 16 stages.

Here is the current layout of the complex:

• Ariston (with a maximum capacity of about 2000 seats);
• Ritz (390 seats);
• Hall 1 (250 seats);
• Hall 2 (135 seats);
• Hall 3 (135 seats);
• Hall 4 (35 seats).

Where is the Ariston in Sanremo?

The Ariston Theatre is very close to the historic centre of Sanremo; at 212, Via Giacomo Matteotti.

Why is it called Ariston?

Given the magnificence of the structure, it was natural to rename the Theatre ‘Ariston’, recalling ancient Greece, where the election of the ‘Ariston’ – the best – took place.

Article translated by Jasmina Towers

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