Teatro Valle has been closed for almost a decade.

Rome's historic Teatro Valle, described by the city as Europe's oldest modern theatre, is set to reopen at the start of 2025 following a €6.7 million restoration project.

Rome mayor Roberto Gualtieri on Thursday handed over the theatre's keys to the company responsible for the building's renovation, which is scheduled to take 18 months.

The 18th-century theatre and former opera house near Piazza Navona closed in 2010 before being occupied for three years over rumours that it was to be privatised.

For the last nine years the theatre, which dates to 1726 and was commissioned by the Capranica family, has been closed to the public.

“It is a moment long awaited by the city and the country" - Gualtieri said on Thursday - "We expect that, at the start of 2025, Teatro Valle will be fully operational and with its own programming."

Oggi inizia la rinascita del Teatro Valle: questa mattina il sindaco Roberto Gualtieri ha consegnato le chiavi dell’edificio ai rappresentanti della ditta che realizzerà i lavori di restauro.
Lavori che lo restituiranno al patrimonio civile e collettivo della città. pic.twitter.com/6uC8iQmDcx

— Miguel Gotor (@GotorMiguel) March 9, 2023

The renovation project will be co-financed by the city and the culture ministry, and the theatre will come under the umbrella of the Teatro di Roma foundation, along with Teatro Argentina, Teatro India and Teatro Torlonia.

Designed by Tommaso Morelli, the theatre's internal and external features were redesigned in the 19th century by noted Italian architects including Valadier and Salvi.

Over the centuries the theatre has staged numerous world premieres including Rossini's Demetrio e Polibio in 1812 and Pirandello's Six Characters in Search of an Author in 1921.