The San Carlo was built by King Charles of Bourbon who wished to endow his capital city with a state-of-the-art theatre. He succeeded. The theatre immediately became an object of admiration and was soon held to be without equal for the majesty of its architecture and for the perfection of its acoustics. Destroyed by fire in 1816, Teatro San Carlo was reconstructed under the direction of architect Antonio Niccolini. His efforts resulted in the structure we see today. Upon viewing the theatre at its reopening in 1818, the writer Stendhal remarked, "…it dazzles the eyes, enraptures the soul..." At that point in time, Naples was one of the most vital cultural centers in Europe, with Teatro San Carlo hosting the premiere performances of works by Donizetti and Bellini, as well as Rossini. Now carefully restored to its original splendor, the San Carlo is the oldest working theatre in Europe and still offers a dazzling atmosphere and performance.