The Teatro Rivoli of Valdagno was built in 1937 as part of the enormous architectural project of the "social city." In 1928, Gaetano Marzotto entrusted architect-engineer Francesco Bonfanti with the task of creating the entire "social city" that was to be built on the other side of the river from the historic city. The project for the Impero was immediately grandiose: capable of almost 2000 seats, precisely 1861, in honor of the unity of Italy, cutting-edge in terms of technical innovations, and richly decorated with various types of marble and accessories. The Theater was meant to serve multiple functions, foremost among them being a stage for theater and musical performances and a cinema hall, but such a large space could not be without propaganda and symbolic purposes: it was a true monument for the city, a symbol of greatness and expansion, as well as a suitable venue for hosting major events and special occasions. It was inaugurated on October 28, 1937, and was called the Impero cinema. The history of this theater coincides with the historical and social changes not only in Valdagno but also throughout the nation; with the end of fascism, the Impero changed its name and for a few years was called Teatro del Popolo in honor of the new ideology generated by the end of the Second World War. In the 1950s, the political climate settled, and the Theater finally found a name that it would hold until its closure: Cinema Teatro Rivoli. A project for a new façade was also prepared, which was realized and decorated at the end of the 1940s by the Venetian Giuseppe Santomaso. In the 1970s, there was a period of crisis due both to the advent of television and to the establishment of new safety laws, thus the theater was closed and within a few years became unfit for use. The official closure took place on June 30, 1981.
