Salone Margherita

Salone Margherita is a historic theatre and café-chantant in Rome, Italy, opened in 1898 by the Marino brothers, theatrical entrepreneurs who already owned the similarly named Salone Margherita in Naples. Built in the Liberty (Art Nouveau) style, it was conceived as the capital's principal café-chantant — a venue where audiences could drink, dine and watch variety performances in opulent surroundings. The name honours Margherita of Savoy, wife of King Umberto I. Located on Via dei Due Macelli in central Rome, the Salone quickly became a symbol of Belle Époque entertainment. Its rectangular hall was filled with elegant tables so that luxurious buffets could be served during shows. Success was so great that by 1908 the impresarios enlarged and enriched the structure, adding a mezzanine gallery and a proper stage; it reopened fully renovated in June 1909 with a programme featuring leading comedians and chanteuses of the day such as La Bella Otero, Lina Cavalieri, Nicola Maldacea, Ettore Petrolini and Leopoldo Fregoli. In 1921 Filippo Tommaso Marinetti staged a Futurist variety performance there. After the Second World War, competition from cinema and television pushed the venue to convert into a cinema. A restoration in 1972 brought it back as a cabaret and revue theatre, and for years it was known as Bagaglino after the satirical comedy troupe that took up residence. It later reverted to the name Salone Margherita and resumed regular programming, occasionally serving as a location for television recordings of Bagaglino shows. From 2014 it was managed by Nevio Schiavone. In July 2017 Banca d'Italia, the property's owner, launched an auction procedure to dispose of the building. In 2020 the cinema-teatrale company Marino & C., founded in 1920 by the Marino brothers and long-time operator of the venue, returned the property to its historic owner, Banca d'Italia. Today the Salone Margherita presents itself as "the only and exclusive Liberty hall in Rome," offering cool shows, dinner-and-show packages in private boxes, subscriptions, and a venue for prestigious private events. Its café-chantant soul survives in a foyer bar open daily and in the dinner service offered during performances. The theatre also holds a place in Italian entertainment lore: it was where the Roman actor Bombolo made his theatrical debut in the 1970s with the Bagaglino, and where he made his last public appearance on 8 May 1987 before his death that August.

The Salone Margherita was opened in 1898 by the Marino brothers, theatrical entrepreneurs who already owned the Salone Margherita in Naples (opened 1890) and would later own the Teatro Sala Umberto. Having seen the success of the café-chantant genre imported from Paris, they decided to export it across Italy. In 1898 they opened the Teatro delle Varietà in Rome on Via dei Due Macelli. The name was immediately changed to Salone Margherita to evoke the successes of the famous Neapolitan theatre of the same name; 'Margherita' was also a clear homage to Margherita of Savoy, wife of King Umberto I. The venue staged all the typical variety performances but in grand style, ostentatiously displaying luxury and refinement. A series of elegant tables filled the rectangular hall so that luxurious buffets could be served during the shows. Success was so great that by 1908 the impresarios were forced to modify the structure to make it larger and more luxurious. A mezzanine floor was built to house a gallery, while a series of demolitions created enough space for a proper stage. In June 1909 the theatre reopened completely renovated, with a programme featuring the best comedians and most refined chanteuses of the time: La Bella Otero, Lina Cavalieri, Nicola Maldacea, Ettore Petrolini, Leopoldo Fregoli and others. In 1921 Filippo Tommaso Marinetti staged a Futurist variety show there. Until after the Second World War the theatre remained one of the undisputed cornerstones of Roman comedy. But competition from cinema and television led to its transformation into a cinema. In 1972 a recovery and restoration intervention brought it back into vogue as a cabaret and revue theatre. For years it was called Bagaglino, in honour of the satirical comedy company that installed itself there; today it is again called Salone Margherita and has regular programming, occasionally used as a location for television recordings of Bagaglino shows. From 2014 the Salone passed under the management of Nevio Schiavone. In July 2017 Banca d'Italia, owner of the Salone, started an auction procedure to dispose of the property. In 2020 the cinema-teatrale company Marino & C., founded in 1920 by the Marino brothers, always managers of the Salone Margherita and protagonist of the entire epic of the prestigious theatre and café-chantant, returned the property to its historic owner, Banca d'Italia. The Salone Margherita marked the theatrical debut of Bombolo, who in the 1970s joined the Bagaglino, discovered by Pingitore and Castellacci. Also at the Salone Margherita, on 8 May 1987, the Roman actor and comedian made his last public appearance before dying in August of that year from an incurable illness.

• 2020

  Marino & C. returns the property to Banca d'Italia.

• 2017

  Banca d'Italia launches an auction procedure to dispose of the property.

• 2014

  Nevio Schiavone takes over management of the Salone.

• 1972

  Restoration brings the venue back as a cabaret and revue theatre; later known as Bagaglino.

• 1921

  Filippo Tommaso Marinetti stages a Futurist variety show at the theatre.

• 1909

  Reopens fully renovated in June with a star-studded variety programme.

• 1908

  Theatre enlarged and made more luxurious, adding a mezzanine gallery and a proper stage.

• 1898

  Salone Margherita opens in Rome as Teatro delle Varietà, founded by the Marino brothers.

Rome's only and most exclusive Liberty-style theatre and café-chantant, combining Belle Époque heritage with contemporary entertainment and dining.

• Salone Margherita Story

  A theatrical journey through the origins of the café-chantant (1898–1920), featuring the voices of Raffaele Viviani, Ettore Petrolini and Lina Cavalieri.

• Dinner and show in private boxes

  Dinner served in private boxes on the upper floor before the show.

• Subscriptions

  Season subscription packages for the theatre's shows.

1. 1Salone Margherita - L'unica ed esclusiva sala liberty di Romasalonemargherita.com
2. 2SALONE MARGHERITA STORY - Salone Margheritasalonemargherita.com
3. 3Salone Margherita - Wikidatawikidata.org
4. 4Salone Margherita (Roma) - Wikipediait.wikipedia.org