The "Goldoni", the only large historical theater in Livorno that survived the damage caused by the bombings of the Second World War, was born following the urban and architectural transformations carried out in Livorno in the first half of the century. XIX during the Lorraine government, when the new economic force, the mercantile bourgeoisie, felt the need to create spaces that symbolize their social status.

Thus it is thought of creating an imposing theater, defined as one of the most admirable of the Italian theaters even before its completion and which in importance surpassed all the theaters of Livorno.
The entrepreneurs Francesco and Alessandro Caporali on 1 October 1842 officially took the decision to "erect a new and extraordinary theater, for which Livorno will be the third Italian city that will acquire the merit of such an important building".
The construction of the building, located along the road known as the old via di Montenero, between the new church of S. Maria del Soccorso and the Israelitico Hospital, was entrusted to the young architect Giuseppe Cappellini, assisted by the master builder Benedetto Malfanti, while executors of the internal works were the brothers Giacomo and Giovanni Medici of Milan, authors of the ornaments, Pietro Bernardini, stucco and scagliola executor and the marble worker Ceccardo Ravenna. The works lasted four years: from 1843 to 1847. The Theater was called "Imperial and Royal Theater Leopoldo" in honor of the Grand Duke Pietro Leopoldo II of Lorraine and was inaugurated on 24 July 1847.

After a few years the structure suffered a rapid deterioration due to the neglect of the new owner Giuseppe Varoli, former partner of the Caporali and subsequently the sole owner.
Purchased to the public enchanted by Mr. Consul Pandely Rodocanacchi, the Leopoldo was restored between 1853 and 1855 and restored to its original dignity.
In 1859, after the expulsion of the Lorraine, it assumed the name of Teatro Caporali, finally, starting from 1860, it was appealed with the name of Regio Teatro Goldoni to underline the link between Livorno and Carlo Goldoni, who had put in scene the comedy Tonin bella grace and set the three comedies The desires for the holiday, The adventures and The return from the holiday.

In the history of the theater there have been numerous changes of ownership, up to the declaration of unusability in the mid-eighties and, in 1990, to its expropriation and therefore acquisition to the municipal heritage. to restore and return to the city an important historical testimony, a theater capable of over a thousand seats, and a reduced, the Goldonetta, which houses another two hundred.