The San Carlo theater, the most ancient opera house in Europe, was inaugurated in 1737, on the birthday of King Charles of Bourbon, whom it was named after. Between each of its boxes, there is a secret that once again summons the influence of the Spanish king over the city.
Each box has a mirror inclined towards the royal box: whichever reaction, whether an applause or a sign of disapproval, needed to follow, and especially be in agreement with, the reaction of the King. Thus, if a spectator wanted to know if it was the right time to ask for an encore, all he needed to do was to observe the reflection of the special VIP guest of the theater.
In absence of the king, it was the queen who took his place as the audience’s ‘guide’. If neither of the two was present, the right to applaud was held by the various princes according to a well-established hierarchy.
So during your visit to the theater, take at look at the royal box… or one of the mirrors!
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