In 1813, through a deed drawn up by notary Crema of Luzzara, several local landowners acquired a rural building in today’s Piazza Tedeschi, intending to convert it into a theatre, primarily for amateur performances. Thus, the first Società Teatrale (Theatre Society) of Luzzara was established, funding the construction of the building itself. However, work - which began that same year -  soon encountered numerous setbacks, mainly due to financial and management issues. After several reconsiderations - including a 1839 proposal to sell the structure and have a new theatre erected by the Municipality - the Theatre was finally open to the public on the evening of 2 October 1852, with a performance of Vincenzo Bellini’s “I Capuleti e i Montecchi” (The Capulets and the Montagues).

The identity of the architect remains unknown, while the artists responsible for the interior decoration were sculptor Ilario Bedotti and painters Luigi Casali and Cesare Cervi. The latter two were already well known in the Reggio area for their wall decorations in private residences and for their stage designs for the Cittadella Theatre. The now-lost theatre curtain depicted the Fair of Luzzara with the Gonzaga Princes - a work painted by Casali, whom Massimo d’Azeglio described in his “I miei ricordi” (My Memories): “an eclectic artist, faithful to the client’s wishes and to the scenic space in which he painted”.

Reconstructing the architectural transformations of the Theatre is difficult, as no official documentation has survived. The scant information available derives from later publications based on lost records, as well as from dates still visible on the building’s walls and a few scattered work reports preserved in the municipal archive. Several records confirm that the Theatre was already in use before 1852, the year of its formal inauguration. According to Grandi e Piccole Storie del Circolo Culturale Torre, the original layout of the boxes formed a flared “U” shape, which was replaced by the current configuration only in 1919. A similar project survives in the State Archive of Parma, though it is uncertain whether that version was ever realized. Work accounts from 1919  mention the replacement of the boxes’ deteriorated timber structures.

In 1905, the Theatre was equipped with gas lighting, powered by an acetylene generator located beneath the stage.

From the 1920s onward, as new safety regulations were introduced, the building began to face issues of compliance, and the public entertainment commissions granted only temporary operating permits. During the 1930s, the Theatre’s Society went bankrupt, and the property was transferred to the Opera Nazionale Balilla. After the end of the war, the Theatre remained active for a few more years.

One of the most anticipated events held here was the traditional masked Carnival ball, an occasion of great renown, loosely inspired by Viennese models. This event was significant not only for the local Orchestra - eager to perform for the celebration -, but also for many young people, as it offered a rare opportunity to make their formal debut in society. Girls in particular, accompanied by their parents, were delighted to appear in newly tailored dresses, often lovingly crafted by the skilled hands of their mothers or grandmothers. Before the Second World War, numerous theatre companies passed through Luzzara: from operetta troupes (those of Roberto Durot and Viola Violet, Enrico Dezan, Raffaele Trengi and Papparelli), to dramatic and comic ensembles (such as the company of Osvaldo Buonocore with his wife Carolina, known on stage as Lina Frigerri, who tragically of tuberculosis in Luzzara), and even to dialect comedy groups (including the Chierici family company from Parma). Many of those actors were hosted in private homes, offered room and board by local families, given the extreme poverty that often characterized their lives. Among the most distinguished artists to perform in Luzzara were actress Capodoglio (later Director of the Academy of Fine Arts in Rome) and Maria Melato, an actress of international fame.

Over time, the building was converted to varied uses: first as a coating department for the Tagliavini mower factory, then as a warehouse, and later as a garage.

In 1956, the Theatre was purchased by the Bellucci family of Luzzara, and in 1975 it was acquired by the Municipal Administration, which aimed to restore it. In 1980, the roof was rebuilt to prevent further decay. The restoration project was designed free of charge by Maria Celeste Freddi from Luzzara, professor of architecture at the University of Cagliari, and a distinguished expert in the restoration of monumental buildings of artistic value. On 23 March 1985, the Municipal Council of Luzzara approved the restoration project designed by architect Freddi, and with subsequent resolutions (the last dated 21 April 1988) the works began. However, they soon came to a halt due to lack of funds, and for another twenty-five years the Theatre was once again forgotten.

The idea of recovering the building resurfaced in 2013, thanks to a group of volunteers - coordinated by the "Un Paese" Foundation in collaboration with the Municipal Administration - who cleaned up the spaces, repaired plaster and window frames, laid a wooden floor, and repainted the walls. On 18 May 2013, the Teatro Sociale di Luzzara finally reopened to the public, warmly welcoming its community once again. The volunteers continued to carry out maintenance and to promote initiatives aimed at raising awareness about the ongoing restoration project. Structural interventions became possible thanks to regional funds obtained by the Municipality after the 2012 earthquake, which had severely damaged the Theatre’s roof, as well as through contributions from a Manodori Foundation grant. Today, the Theatre can host up to 99 spectators, with an existing project to expand its capacity to over 150 seats.

The Teatro Sociale was officially reopened on 6 October 2018, during a ceremony that named it after Danilo Donati - the multifaceted costume designer, scenographer, and artist from Luzzara who won an Academy Award.

The Teatro Sociale di Luzzara is now among the 59 theatres in Emilia-Romagna that have earned official recognition as “National Monuments”. This important milestone was achieved following the requalification works completed in 2024 - a €305,000 project funded by the Emilia-Romagna Region, with contribution from the Manodori Foundation and municipal resources. These works increased seating capacity and reopened the upper boxes to the public, thanks to consolidation and safety interventions, and the completion of heating, lighting and fire detection systems. The Theatre’s expanded capacity and technological upgrades will enhance audience attendance, enrich its programming, and broaden its cultural offering - a precious gift for the citizens of Luzzara and neighboring communities. 

Bibliography: 

> Grandi e Piccole storie del Circolo Culturale Torre, Omnia Edizioni, Reggiolo 1997

> Ricerche Lorenzo Davoli – Municipal Archive

> Io a Luzzara – 1980s monthly magazine