PICCOLO TEATRO DI MILANO – TEATRO D’EUROPA
An Art Theatre for Everyone
The Piccolo Teatro di Milano – Teatro d’Europa, the first Italian public theatre, is located in the heart of Milan. It was founded on 14 May 1947, when, in the aftermath of the war, the city was seeking out new spaces for culture and renascence. This adventure was set in motion by three great figures: the director Giorgio Strehler, the organiser Paolo Grassi, and Nina Vinchi, who passionately handled the administrative side.
From the very beginning, the Piccolo was much more than a theatre: it was a place of encounter and community, true to its motto “An Art Theatre for Everyone”. Over its almost eighty years of activity, it has produced more
than 450 shows, from the great classics of European theatre to new dramaturgy, with productions that have become part of history the world over.
A Stage Open to the World
Since the 1940s, the Piccolo has charted a boundless journey. Its productions have reached theatres in more than 50 countries across five continents, introducing Italian theatre to an infinite range of audiences
Its most symbolic production, Harlequin, Servant of Two Masters by Carlo Goldoni, originally staged by Giorgio Strehler and today revived by Stefano de
Luca, has been on tour without interruption since 1947. With more than 2,200 performances, it has been celebrated by generations of spectators. In 1960, at the height of the Cold War, the play made a historical accomplishment, performing, in the space of just a few months, in both New York and Moscow, fulfilling its role as an authentic “cultural ambassador” on a global scale.
Alongside this masterpiece, the Piccolo has hosted and produced works by the greatest international directors and performers, gaining a standing as a global stage. Today, it continues to strengthen its European vocation, developing new networks and projects shared with the leading international theatres.
Piccolo Teatro Strehler © Masiar Pasquali
One Theatre, Three Stages
Three stages, three souls: this is how the Piccolo Teatro welcomes its audiences in the centre of Milan:
• Teatro Strehler: inaugurated in 1998 and designed by the architect Marco Zanuso, it is the Piccolo’s main hall, with about 1,000 seats. Its architecture evokes the factories of the Industrial Revolution, making it an icon of contemporary theatre. It is located adjacent to Castello Sforzesco and the Brera district, in the midst of museums, churches and the vibrant Milanese life, offering the public a unique combination of art, culture and activities.
• Teatro Studio Melato: an intimate and circular space dedicated to experimentation, contemporary dramaturgy and young artists Reopened in 1986 after the renovation of the pre-existing Teatro Fossati, it evokes Milanese traditional “ringhiera” courtyard housing and recalls the structure of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre It is home to the “Luca Ronconi” School of Theatre, founded by Strehler in 1987, where new
generations of actors and actresses hone their skills. In 2013 it was named after Mariangela Melato, the internationally renowned Milanese actress.
• Teatro Grassi: the original home of the Piccolo in Palazzo Carmagnola, a Renaissance building linked to the celebrated Lady with an Ermine and part of the city’s Leonardo da Vinci itinerary. Over the centuries, the palace has been a noble residence and, during the Fascist regime, even a detention centre. Today, reborn as a place of memory and culture, it welcomes the theatre’s audiences just a short distance from the Duomo and the Teatro alla Scala
How to get to
• Teatro Strehler: Largo Greppi, 1, Milano
M2 Lanza
• Teatro Studio Melato: via Rivoli, 6, Milano
M2 Lanza
• Teatro Grassi and Chiostro Nina Vinchi: via Rovello, 2, Milano
M1 Cordusio
Piccolo Teatro Studio Melato, L’Angelo della Storia © Masiar Pasquali
A Cultural Living Room in the Heart of Milan
Next to Teatro Grassi is the charming Chiostro Nina Vinchi which was returned to its original splendour thanks to a restoration project in 2009. The works uncovered Fifteenthcentury frescoes and capitals attributed directly to Bramante and Leonardo da Vinci, rendering it a unique destination for visitors to Milan. Visited by more than 400,000 people a year, the Chiostro is a true meeting place for citizens and tourists. It hosts presentations, talks, and cultural activities, while the Piccolo Café & Restaurant welcomes visitors from breakfast to dinner, offering an oasis of tranquillity in the hustle and bustle of the city.
The International Theatre Festival
The Presente Indicativo International Theatre Festival was founded in 2022, in celebration of the centenary of Strehler’s birth, transforming Milan into a laboratory of contemporary
Box Office
Online Next shows
Teatro Strehler Box Office
Monday to Saturday from 12:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Closed on Sundays and public holidays.
Box Office Line
+39 02 21126116
Monday to Saturday from 12:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Closed on Sundays and public holidays.
theatre. The second edition, in 2024, explored the countless faces of today’s Europe — its hopes, contradictions, and new possibilities.
The upcoming edition, Milano Crocevia, taking place from 14 to 31 May 2026, will be a true “festival of festivals”, hosting performances from the most important European events, exploring stories, artists and communities through tradition and contemporary perspectives.
The performances will be accompanied by a programme of encounters with artists, book
presentations, concerts and DJ sets, transforming Milan into a great international stage, a point of convergence for cultures and languages.
A Permanent Cultural Laboratory
Today, the Piccolo Teatro is not only a venue for performances but also a permanent cultural laboratory, in constant dialogue with the city and with Europe. Its projects represent a combination of education, research, memory and innovation, carrying forward the ideas of the founders: a theatre at the service of art and of the community.
For anyone visiting Milan, the Piccolo is an essential destination — not only to attend a play but also to discover an institution that for almost eighty years has been fulfilling its mission as “An Art Theatre for Everyone”, with its sights set firmly on the future.
piccoloteatro.org
Piccolo Open
Your Experience at the Piccolo, in English
Weekend performances with surtitles Enjoy a programme of productions with Italian and English surtitles on selected weekend dates.
English translation for cultural events
Follow talks, book presentations and Oltre la scena events in English through our dedicated web app.
English versions of our theatre programmes
Read the theatre programme notes for our productions in English.
Plan your visit and get all the useful information here
Oracle, Łukasz Twarkowski © Marco Rass Teatro Strehler, 23-24 May 2026
Piccolo Teatro Grassi, Ho
paura torero © Masiar Pasquali
Chiostro Nina Vinchi © Kartell, Simona Pesarini
