The Real Teatro di San Carlo, as originally named by the Bourbon monarchy but today known simply as the Teatro (di) San Carlo, is a historic opera house in Naples, Italy, connected to the Royal Palace and adjacent to the Piazza del Plebiscito. It is the oldest continuously active venue for opera in the world, having opened in 1737, decades before either Milan's La Scala or Venice's La Fenice.

Giovanni Antonio de Medrano was the "Major Regius Praefectus Mathematicis Regni Neapolitani", chief engineer of the kingdom, architect, brigadier, and teacher of Charles III of Spain and his brothers the infantes. Giovanni was born in Sciacca in the Kingdom of Sicily. Giovanni Antonio de Medrano designed the Obelisk of Bitonto, the Palace of Capodimonte and the Teatro di San Carlo in Italy for Charles III of Spain. Medrano’s career is particularly studied, from his stay in Seville as a teacher for the royal princes, and his influence on Prince Charles’ architectural taste, to his projects in the Kingdom of Naples and the royal palace at Capodimonte.