The freezing cold conditions here in Barga, it was down to -7 during the night, without a doubt was one of the deciding factors in the nasty surprise when the Teatro dei Differenti was opened this morning. A fire hydrant outside the theatre on the wall close to the dressing rooms had ruptured and was throwing up a fountain of freezing cold water 2 or 3 metres into the air. Administrators entering the theatre found that the story got considerably worse as the theatre was flooded in many places with water running out of the main foyer and down the front steps.
Inside the the theatre the scene which met their eyes was of water flooding half of the main hall and surrounding corridors. The cherry on the cake, so to speak was the orchestra pit which had turned into a mini swimming pool with water 20 cms deep.
Technicians arrived later that morning to stop the flow of water entering the theatre allowing work to begin on drying the place out ready for the Christmas shows later on this week.
