Just a short walk from Rome’s bustling Circus Maximus, a former pasta factory is quietly preserving one of Italy’s richest cultural treasures. Now home to the Rome Opera House’s costume and set design team, the building holds over 70,000 costumes and a century’s worth of scenic backdrops. While tourists pass by unaware, a dedicated group of artisans is working behind the scenes to keep Italian opera alive.
This year, the focus is on Puccini’s Tosca, which first premiered 125 years ago. Designers are recreating the original costumes using detailed sketches and handwritten notes, all compiled into a massive reference binder known as “the bible.” Tailors and painters work by hand in close quarters, crafting hundreds of outfits and enormous painted backdrops. At a time when digital screens are replacing traditional sets, this team is choosing paint, fabric, and craftsmanship. Their devotion is helping opera not just survive, but thrive in the heart of Rome.