When was this theatre built?
KWAN-doh eh STA-toh koh-STRWEE-toh KWES-toh TEH-ah-troh.
When visiting a historic Italian opera house and curious about its architecture and history. Most great Italian theatres are centuries old.
È stato costruito is the passive voice in the passato prossimo — was built. Questo teatro means this theatre. The passive with essere + past participle is a common Italian construction for asking about historical events.
Chi progettò questo teatro?
Who designed this theatre?
Asking about the architect.
È stato ricostruito dopo la guerra?
Was it rebuilt after the war?
Many Italian theatres were bombed in WWII.
Qual è la capienza del teatro?
What is the capacity of the theatre?
Asking how many seats the theatre has.
La Fenice ('The Phoenix') in Venice has been destroyed by fire twice and rebuilt both times. After the 1996 fire (caused by arsonist electricians avoiding contract penalties), it was meticulously restored to its original splendour and reopened in 2003, attended by a national television audience.