Teatro Massimo - Palermo, Sicily
Teatro Massimo - the Godfather’s Opera House Most movie fans will recognize the beautiful opera house in Palermo from it’s starring role in Godfather 3.
The Teatro Massimo Vittorio Emanuele in Palermo opened its doors to the public on the evening of 16 May 1897, twenty-two years after the solemn public ceremony of the laying of the first stone.
For a long time there had been talk of building a big new theatre in Palermo, worthy of the second biggest city in southern Italy after Naples. Palermo, in the second half of the nineteenth century, was engaged in getting itself a new identity in the light of the new national unity.
Cultural life was influenced by the new national physiognomy and the positive consequences of the activity of enlightened entrepreneurs like the Florios, who also made generous donations to the building of the opera house and for some years were also its no less enlightened managers.
Intense commercial relations led to the convergence and development in Palermo of interests with a European dimension and caused the city to be continually in touch with different cultural models than its own. This was the start of the Belle poque, which for the city was a time of cultural and economic rebirth which became mythical and was only to be interrupted by the outbreak of World War I.
Tours
Students and teachers are welcome at the Massimo to find out more about opera and classical music.Short concerts, guided tours to the backstage, morning events are scheduled throughout the year.
Guided tours
Tuesday to Sunday, 10 am - 3 pm (last tour leaves at 2.30 pm)
The tour lasts about 25 minutes and is available in different languages.
Students and teachers are welcome at the Massimo to find out more about opera and classical music.Short concerts, guided tours to the backstage, morning events are scheduled throughout the year.
For information and booking of guided tours:
telephone/fax: +39.091.609.08.31
Websites: Teatro Massimo, Godfather 3
Teatro Massimo
Piazza G. Verdi
90138 Palermo, Italy
tel 091 6053111
