The Teatro Massimo Vittorio Emanuele (Grand Théâtre Victor Emmanuel in French) is an opera house in Palermo, Sicily, architecturally the largest opera hall in Italy.
At its inauguration in 1897, it was considered the third largest opera house in Europe, with an area of more than 7,730 m², after the Palais Garnier and the Vienna Opera (Wiener Staatsoper).
Historical and architectural presentation
Its construction in a historic district required significant demolitions, including ramparts, the Aragonese quarter, with the monastery of Saint-Giuliano and the church of the Stimmate.
After an international competition launched by the city of Palermo in 1864, the project by the architect Giovan Battista Filippo Basile was chosen, and construction lasted from 1875 to 1897, completed by his son after the architect’s death in 1891.
The official inauguration took place on 16 May 1897 with the opera Falstaff by Giuseppe Verdi.
Teatro Massimo of Palermo
It was closed between 1974 and 1997 for restorations that were continually delayed by cost overruns, political and administrative problems.
In 1990 Francis Ford Coppola filmed several scenes there for The Godfather, including the final scene of Part III where Michael Corleone attends a performance before the attack on his family.
The façade is neoclassical, in the Italic Corinthian style, where a colonnade is preceded by a monumental staircase at the foot of which stand two bronze sculptures. They represent Tragedy (sculpted by Benedetto Civiletti) and Opera (by Mario Rutelli).
Above the portico, the architrave bears the motto: “L’Arte rinnova i popoli e ne rivela la vita…” (“Art renews peoples and reveals their life…”).
The main hall is topped by a dome with a diameter of 28.73 m, composed of a metal structure crowned by a large decorative vase.
The interior was decorated by painters and artists of the time such as Ettore De Maria Bergler, Rocco Lentini, Luigi Di Giovanni and Michele Cortegiani, who created frescoes, ceilings and ornaments. The hall is horseshoe-shaped, with its five tiers of boxes and the gallery, renowned for its high acoustic quality.
Teatro Massimo 
Teatro Massimo 
Teatro Massimo
Where the Teatro Massimo of Palermo is located
If you see this after your page is loaded completely, leafletJS files are missing.
Information
Teatro Massimo Vittorio Emanuele Piazza Verdi, 90138 Palermo The theatre often offers exhibitions. Guided tours: from 9:30 am to 6:00 pm (last departure at 5:20 pm), at the rates: full €12.00; reduced €6.00; groups €9.00, etc. Sources and external sites
|