DBT’s advisory teams are based across the English regions, supporting businesses to invest, grow and export, creating jobs and opportunities. We are, therefore, extremely proud to announce that we are now working with one of DBT’s specialist International Trade Advisers (ITA), and his counterparts in Italy, to support the reconstruction of the Teatro San Cassiano in Venice.

Following an in-depth review of the project, our ITA, Michael Jolley-Pathirana Dissanayakage, commented:

“I am proud to be supporting Dr Paul Atkin’s Teatro San Cassiano project in Venice, as his International Trade Adviser, on behalf of the Department for Business and Trade. This remarkable initiative aims to revive the world's first public opera house, blending rich historical heritage with modern cultural significance. As well as securing significant investment returns for the UK and Italy, this project underscores commitment to fostering international cultural partnerships and promoting the arts. There will be many positive impacts from this project, including the widespread use of UK expertise, skills, craftsmanship and investment.”

In reply, our CEO Paul Atkin was keen to highlight the opportunities that our project offers both Britain and Italy, but he started with his thoughts on the significance of the moment:

“To get this level of support from the DBT is, of course, something of which we are enormously proud, but the full credit goes here to Michael Jolley-Pathirana Dissanayakage, who, as our International Trade Adviser, has come in and seen immediately the full potential of the Teatro San Cassiano to place cultural patrimony at the centre of a sustainable commercial strategy both for the future of Venice and for the UK.

“From the outset, our vision has been that the best way to ensure the long-term success of the Teatro San Cassiano was to base it upon what we might term the “British model” of an independent and financially viable theatre. It’s a concept that’s not well-known in Italy today, but the irony is that it originated in Venice, possibly even for the building of the first Teatro Tron di San Cassiano from at least 1581. It is this very model which will ensure that the restitution of the San Cassiano of 1637 can be at the centre of long-term growth and investment for Venice. The fact we can achieve this via a globally recognised British HoldCo working on an Anglo-Italian / Italo-Britannico basis is a cause for much satisfaction after the years of hard toil.

“It’s in this sense that the support and expertise from the Department of Business and Trade, feels very much like our reward for the long-held belief that the driving force of the Teatro San Cassiano should be that of marrying the best of British and Italian knowledge, talent and abilities, be that from the unique skills and knowledge required for historical reconstruction, such as so expertly exemplified by our consiglieri Peter McCurdy and Jon Greenfield, to the revival of Venetian artisan skills currently at risk of being lost forever. We very much hope this will be the first of many steps that will encourage further collaboration resulting in new opportunities for business, employment, and investment between both countries, with the focus always on a willingness to learn from each other.

“Every credit and thanks for securing this support must go to Michael Jolley-Pathirana Dissanayakage, and to Peter McCurdy and Jon Greenfield who initiated and facilitated this fantastic opportunity. A special thanks also to our friends at Shakespeare’s Globe and to the new CEO Stella Kanu for hosting our first meetings.”

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