The Teatro Massimo
The Teatro Massimo Vittorio Emanuele, known by the name Teatro Massimo in Palermo, the largest theater in Italy and the third largest in Europe after the Opéra National in Paris and the Staatsoper in Vienna, appreciated for its its beauty and perfect acoustics.
Representative rooms, halls, galleries and monumental stairways surround the theater, forming an architectural complex of extraordinary proportions.
The capacity is over 1300 spectators
Address: Piazza Verdi, 90138 Palermo
Phone: 091 605 3521
Email: eventi@teatromassimo.it
Useful info
The Theater is open for visits every day from 9:30 to 17:30 (last visit at 17:00) with a guided tour: Walking through its rooms you can discover the secrets of artistic production, relive the refined atmosphere of the past.
Where is it?
It is located in the very central Piazza Verdi in Palermo, not far from Piazza Politeama and between Via Ruggero Settimo and Via Maqueda.
History
The desire to acquire a new, larger theater began before the unification of Italy.
In 1863 a public competition was held and the results came after 5 years in 1868.
The tender was won by the Palermo architect Giovan Battista Filippo Basile.
The theater was built in more than 20 years, from 1875 to 1897 and completed by his son Ernesto Basile.
The rooms of the theater
Sala Grande
The most famous hall of the Teatro Massimo in Palermo in the shape of a horseshoe, appreciated by theater lovers from all over the world for its perfect acoustics, which could accommodate 3000 people, reduced today for safety reasons to 1381.
Entering the Sala Grande one is dazzled by the magnificence of its decorations.
Look up to admire the ceiling and you will see the famous “Symbolic wheel”, composed of eleven elements of painting on canvas arranged in a circle around a central circle depicting the Triumph of Music which, through a system of ropes, can be opened towards high, allowing the ventilation of the rooms. A work of art!
Palco del Re
Once upon a time it was the nobles who enjoyed the spectacle from the luxurious Palco del Re , where they could accommodate up to 27 people.
Today anyone can admire this wonderful beauty of mahogany and brocade, mirrors and Murano glass chandeliers.
Next to the stage is a private foyer, known as the King’s Hall or the Sovereign’s Hall.
Sala Pompeiana
Once reserved, also this, to the nobility, the elegant Sala Pompeiana with its round shape and its decorations expressly recalls the Temple of Vesta in Tivoli.
All the ornaments point to the number seven and its multiples, the symbolism of the seven planets and seven days of the lunar period, the seven deadly sins and seven virtues, the seven musical notes and the seven strings of the lyre.
Sala degli Stemmi
The rehearsal hall of the Teatro ballet corps is a rectangular room characterized by a warm brick color reminiscent of the dance halls of the nineteenth century.
The Sala degli Stemmi that give the room its name are those of the noble families of Sicily that decorate the walls of the room.
Palco Bellini
A meeting place for artists, nobles and intellectuals, the Palco Bellini is now used for meetings and refined cocktail parties.
A testimony of the past function of meeting of intellectuals is visible from the photos of artists with dedications that can be appreciated on the walls of the stage.
Foyer
The foyer of the Teatro Massimo is a sumptuous anticipation of the magnificence you will find in the interior rooms
The red color recalls the autumn leaves, and this is why it is called “ottobrino”. This rectangular hall is decorated with bronze statues and candelabra; it is also used for concerts and exhibitions.
Sala Onu
Sala Onu is a circular room adorned with 14 cherry-wood columns that is hired out for events and concerts.
Video
Recommended book : books
Italian Version
Updated on: 16/08/2022 09:09:10
translated with machine translation