Officially inaugurated in 1888, it follows the typical Italian model, following the prototype of the Teatro de São Carlos in Lisbon and the Teatro La Scala in Milan. It owes its current name to the poet from Madeira Island, a theatrical author of the second half of the 16th century, whose works continue to be represented in European popular plays, in Africa and Brazil. It is a space that, since its inauguration, has been presenting the city with a unique architectural beauty and with activities and shows that make it the biggest landmark of cultural experience in Madeira.