The construction, executed for wish of the Duchess Maria Luigia where once was the monastery of Sant'Alessandro, began in 1821 on a plan by Nicola Bettoli and it cost 1.190.664 lire. It inherited the role of the Ducal Theater, situated inside Palazzo di Riserva.

On 16th May 1829 it opened for the first time, with Vincenzo Bellini's Zaira opera, in presence of the Duchess featuring the splendid curtain painted by Giovanni Battista Borghesi (Triumph of Wisdom, allegorical representation of Maria Luigia's government).

The first opera season continued with the works "Mosè and the Pharaoh", "Semiramide's death" and "The barber of Seville" by Gioachino Rossini. Regio theatre, cradle of the Italian melodrama is considered the most important of the italian thatres classified as "of tradition" and its audience is known among the most qualified but also among the most passionate and demanding. To guarantee themselves the purchase of a subscription the parmesan music lovers, challenging the cold and uneasiness, they wait every year the opening of the sales uninterruptedly day and night, for almost a week, in front of the box-office of the theatre, under the portico by the ten mighty Ionic columns of the façade.