The Municipal Theater is the largest theater in Corfu and is located in Corfu Town. The current modern building which is operated by the Municipal Theater of Corfu, was built on the grounds of the historic Municipal Theater that was destroyed during World War II.
In 1885 it was decided to build a new theater to replace the San Giacomo Theater, which had become too small to accommodate the demands of its growing audience. The building was designed by the Italian architect Conrado Pergolesi who took inspiration from the prestigious La Scala in Milan. Construction started in 1893, but the high building costs caused some delays so the new theater only opened its doors for the first time in 1902.
The beautiful historic building played an important role in the cultural history of Corfu as the theater was considered among the best in Europe, with superb acoustics and richly decorated interiors. Between 19 January 1916 and 19 November 1918, the Municipal Theater was also used as a meeting place for the Serbian parliament in exile, after many Serbs took refuge from the invasion of the First World War.
Unfortunately the Municipal Theater was bombed by the Germans on 13 September 1943, which resulted in a complete destruction of the building, the historical archives of the San Giacomo Theater, and many valuable art objects. After inspection by architects and engineers, the ruined building was deemed of no historic value and despite protests, in 1952, the city council decided to demolish the remains of the theater.
The current Municipal Theater building was constructed on the same site in the 1970s. The new building was designed in a modern, brutalist style by the Greek architect Pericles Sakellarios. The theater is now operated by the Municipal and Regional Theater of Corfu, which was founded in 1997 as the latest member of DEPETHE.
