Which ancient Roman amphitheater in Verona is still used for opera performances?

The ancient Roman amphitheater in Verona that is still used for opera performances is the Verona Arena. Located beside Piazza Bra, it is one of the best-preserved Roman amphitheaters and remains a major performance venue nearly two millennia after its construction.

The Arena was completed around AD 30, during the early Roman Empire. It originally hosted spectacles such as gladiatorial contests and could hold tens of thousands of spectators. Much of its outer ring was destroyed by an earthquake in 1117, but the inner structure and a surviving section of the outer façade remain remarkably intact.

Its modern opera tradition began in 1913 with a spectacular production of Giuseppe Verdi’s Aida, staged to mark the centenary of Verdi’s birth. The success established Verona as a major open-air opera destination, and the Arena di Verona Festival continues during the summer.

The Arena is sometimes confused with the Colosseum, which is also Roman but stands in Rome. Nîmes and Tarragona likewise have Roman amphitheaters, yet only Verona matches the location and enduring opera tradition described here.