328:
27:
173:
991:
347:
In 1974, the house was closed to complete renovations required by updated safety regulations, but cost over-runs, corruption, and political in-fighting all added to the delay and it remained closed for twenty-three years, finally re-opening on 12 May 1997, four days before its centenary. The opera
259:. This style required the use of natural thick stone, all of which was part of the structural design. The two very large bronze statues of lions sitting next to the theatre's monumental stairway entrance were created by Giovanni Rutelli's son, sculptor artist Sir
223:
which, under
Architect Giovanni Rutelli's technical and building direction, went from the foundations all the way up to the theatre's attic structures. He was also responsible for all the external decorations of the building. Rutelli initially designed a steam
251:(Giovanni's great-grandfather), they were considered to be among the most technically and artistically specialized experts in Sicily at that time, especially because of Mario Rutelli and his descendants' profound knowledge and experience in Ancient Greek/
266:
Construction started on 12 January 1874, but was stopped for eight years from 1882 until 1890. Finally, on 16 May 1897, twenty-two years after the laying of the foundation stone, the third largest opera house in Europe at the time — after the
335:
The Teatro
Massimo is the largest theatre in Italy. Basile was inspired by ancient and classical Sicilian architecture and, thus, the exterior was designed in the high neoclassical style incorporating elements of the Greek temples at
344:. Realized in the late-Renaissance style, the auditorium was planned for 3,000 people, but, in its current format, it seats 1,381, with 7 tiers of boxes rising up around an inclined stage, and shaped in the typical horseshoe style.
239:
Giovanni
Rutelli belongs to a very old and renowned Italian family of confirmed British Isles origin, a family which also includes architects and sculptor artists from the old Sicilian
129:. It is the biggest in Italy, and one of the largest of Europe (at the time of its inauguration, it was - with its area of 7730 m - the third largest opera house in Europe after the
539:
372:
In recent years, "charges of corruption and political meddling…along with budget deficits and heavy debts" have plagued the house, but, under its then part-English music director,
578:
169:
in
Palermo, worthy of the second biggest city in southern Italy (after Naples) and designed to promote the image of the city following the unification of Italy in 1861.
650:
1048:
1004:
319:
Busts of famous composers were carved for the theatre by the
Italian sculptor, Giusto Liva (born in Montebelluna, Treviso in 1847) and several of his sons.
1073:
1068:
521:
247:
school as well as building contractors, all entrepreneurs going back to the first half of the 18th century in
Palermo. Along with Architect D.
1063:
620:
612:
1058:
643:
365:, a minor building not far from Teatro Massimo. In summer a few performances, usually concerts, ballet and operetta, are held in
568:
1053:
636:
185:
162:
981:
1043:
691:
327:
831:
712:
252:
805:
362:
923:
380:
950:
932:
860:
732:
387:
as artistic advisors. Under
Carapezza Guttuso's leadership the theatre offered a varied programme including
305:
941:
439:
366:
418:
219:
and
Alberto Machì (both founding members of the company) was contracted for the main construction of the
676:
671:
413:
313:
26:
914:
887:
764:
449:
434:
905:
878:
748:
256:
208:. Following G. B. F. Basile's death in 1891, construction was then overseen by his son, Architect
686:
408:
309:
276:
138:
467:
422:
398:
373:
126:
769:
727:
722:
472:
294:
289:
65:
172:
779:
681:
573:
555:"Filming Locations for Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather Part 3 in New York and Sicily"
554:
458:
388:
896:
869:
349:
284:
268:
209:
177:
130:
1037:
795:
774:
463:
444:
379:
2013-2014 was a two-year hiatus under the leadership of the comissario straordinario
301:
260:
248:
493:
995:
968:
836:
384:
443:(1990) were filmed at the theatre, where Coppola's uncle, composer and conductor
225:
205:
158:
114:
161:
was announced by the
Palermo Council in 1864 at the instigation of the mayor,
1019:
1006:
959:
856:
826:
821:
696:
393:
341:
337:
189:
146:
417:
and an increased ballet activity. The current intendant is the experienced
717:
540:"Palermo: Francesco Giambrone nominato sovrintendente del Teatro Massimo"
510:, July/August 2005. (An article on the Music Director, Jan Latham Koenig)
193:
628:
228:
machine which was then successfully able to lift large stone blocks and
91:
Giovanni
Battista Filippo Basile (1874–1880), Ernesto Basile (1891–1897)
403:
244:
240:
233:
220:
216:
201:
166:
118:
46:
990:
280:
229:
142:
122:
184:
The opera house was designed, and overseen by the Italian architect
326:
272:
197:
171:
134:
50:
425:. He replaced Gabriele Ferro, who is now honorary life director.
354:
632:
603:
361:
During the restoration regular opera seasons were performed in
101:
577:. Independent Digital News and Media Limited. April 26, 2003.
165:. For many years there had been talk of building a large new
358:
was performed in 1998 while work in progress continued.
215:
The Rutelli and Machì Company, represented by Giovanni
979:
157:
An international competition for the creation of the
845:
814:
788:
757:
741:
705:
664:
95:
87:
79:
74:
64:
56:
40:
376:, it was reported that it is once again on track.
117:and opera company located on the Piazza Verdi in
188:, who was well known in Sicily for his previous
236:during construction of the very large theatre.
644:
8:
19:
651:
637:
629:
18:
569:"In search of... The Godfather in Sicily"
300:The interior is decorated and painted by
421:. From 2020 the music director has been
283:— was inaugurated with a performance of
986:
506:Thicknesse, Robert, “Double espresso”,
485:
348:season started again in 1999, although
7:
1049:Neoclassical architecture in Palermo
613:Teatro Massimo: Its Art and History
383:, who brought in Lorenzo Amato and
331:Interior view of the Teatro Massimo
1074:19th-century architecture in Italy
192:restoration design in the city of
14:
581:from the original on May 11, 2015
989:
621:City of Palermo official website
447:, is shown conducting the opera
111:Teatro Massimo Vittorio Emanuele
25:
604:Teatro Massimo official website
520:Badelt, Udo (28 January 2014).
1069:Music venues completed in 1897
186:Giovan Battista Filippo Basile
1:
323:Facilities and recent history
180:outside of the Teatro Massimo
16:Opera house in Palermo, Italy
1064:1897 establishments in Italy
606:(including a virtual visit)
145:), renowned for its perfect
102:http://www.teatromassimo.it/
263:and Benedetto Civiletti.
163:Antonio Starrabba di Rudinì
125:. It was dedicated to King
1090:
1059:Theatres completed in 1897
713:Centro Sociale Leoncavallo
522:"LiebesgrĂĽĂźe aus Sizilien"
470:) to see a performance of
257:Norman architectural style
775:Torino Palasport Olimpico
692:Teatro dell'Opera di Roma
494:"Storia | il Teatro"
100:
36:
24:
924:Teatro Flavio Vespasiano
456:In the second season of
196:, as well as garden and
153:Construction and opening
951:Teatro Mario Del Monaco
861:Teatro Alessandro Bonci
733:Teatro degli Arcimboldi
526:Der Tagesspiegel Online
476:at the Teatro Massimo.
381:Fabio Carapezza Guttuso
306:Ettore De Maria Bergler
200:designs in the city of
440:The Godfather Part III
332:
181:
1054:Opera houses in Italy
1020:38.12028°N 13.35722°E
677:CSOA Forte Prenestino
672:Circolo degli Artisti
659:Music venues in Italy
414:Schwanda the bagpiper
330:
175:
888:Teatro della Fortuna
450:Cavalleria rusticana
435:Francis Ford Coppola
433:The final scenes of
367:Teatro della Verdura
1044:Theatres in Palermo
1016: /
879:Teatro Carlo Felice
749:Teatro di San Carlo
542:. 19 December 2020.
419:Francesco Giambrone
277:K. K. Hof-Opernhaus
139:K. K. Hof-Opernhaus
21:
1025:38.12028; 13.35722
687:Parco della Musica
409:Jaromir Weinberger
333:
310:Michele Cortegiani
253:Roman architecture
182:
977:
976:
468:Jennifer Coolidge
423:Omer Meir Wellber
399:Hans Werner Henze
374:Jan Latham Koenig
314:Luigi Di Giovanni
255:, as well as the
127:Victor Emanuel II
107:
106:
60:Comune di Palermo
1081:
1031:
1030:
1028:
1027:
1026:
1021:
1017:
1014:
1013:
1012:
1009:
994:
993:
985:
806:Teatro Politeama
770:Teatro Carignano
728:Teatro Dal Verme
723:Mediolanum Forum
653:
646:
639:
630:
625:
617:
609:
591:
590:
588:
586:
565:
559:
558:
550:
544:
543:
536:
530:
529:
517:
511:
504:
498:
497:
490:
473:Madama Butterfly
363:Teatro Politeama
295:Leopoldo Mugnone
29:
22:
1089:
1088:
1084:
1083:
1082:
1080:
1079:
1078:
1034:
1033:
1024:
1022:
1018:
1015:
1010:
1007:
1005:
1003:
1002:
1000:
988:
980:
978:
973:
841:
832:Teatro Comunale
810:
784:
780:Torino Palavela
753:
737:
701:
682:PalaLottomatica
660:
657:
623:
615:
607:
600:
595:
594:
584:
582:
574:The Independent
567:
566:
562:
552:
551:
547:
538:
537:
533:
519:
518:
514:
505:
501:
492:
491:
487:
482:
466:) takes Tanya (
459:The White Lotus
431:
389:Richard Strauss
325:
155:
49:
45:
32:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1087:
1085:
1077:
1076:
1071:
1066:
1061:
1056:
1051:
1046:
1036:
1035:
999:
998:
975:
974:
972:
971:
962:
953:
944:
935:
926:
917:
908:
899:
897:Teatro Bibiena
890:
881:
872:
870:Baia Imperiale
863:
849:
847:
843:
842:
840:
839:
834:
829:
824:
818:
816:
812:
811:
809:
808:
803:
801:Teatro Massimo
798:
792:
790:
786:
785:
783:
782:
777:
772:
767:
761:
759:
755:
754:
752:
751:
745:
743:
739:
738:
736:
735:
730:
725:
720:
715:
709:
707:
703:
702:
700:
699:
694:
689:
684:
679:
674:
668:
666:
662:
661:
658:
656:
655:
648:
641:
633:
627:
626:
618:
610:
599:
598:External links
596:
593:
592:
560:
553:Reeves, Tony.
545:
531:
512:
499:
484:
483:
481:
478:
430:
429:Media interest
427:
324:
321:
269:Palais Garnier
232:/Roman styled
210:Ernesto Basile
178:Giuseppe Verdi
154:
151:
131:Palais Garnier
105:
104:
98:
97:
93:
92:
89:
85:
84:
81:
77:
76:
72:
71:
68:
62:
61:
58:
54:
53:
42:
38:
37:
34:
33:
31:Teatro Massimo
30:
20:Teatro Massimo
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1086:
1075:
1072:
1070:
1067:
1065:
1062:
1060:
1057:
1055:
1052:
1050:
1047:
1045:
1042:
1041:
1039:
1032:
1029:
997:
992:
987:
983:
970:
966:
963:
961:
957:
954:
952:
948:
945:
943:
939:
936:
934:
930:
927:
925:
921:
918:
916:
912:
909:
907:
903:
900:
898:
894:
891:
889:
885:
882:
880:
876:
873:
871:
867:
864:
862:
858:
854:
851:
850:
848:
844:
838:
835:
833:
830:
828:
825:
823:
820:
819:
817:
813:
807:
804:
802:
799:
797:
796:Teatro Biondo
794:
793:
791:
787:
781:
778:
776:
773:
771:
768:
766:
763:
762:
760:
756:
750:
747:
746:
744:
740:
734:
731:
729:
726:
724:
721:
719:
716:
714:
711:
710:
708:
704:
698:
695:
693:
690:
688:
685:
683:
680:
678:
675:
673:
670:
669:
667:
663:
654:
649:
647:
642:
640:
635:
634:
631:
622:
619:
614:
611:
605:
602:
601:
597:
580:
576:
575:
570:
564:
561:
556:
549:
546:
541:
535:
532:
527:
523:
516:
513:
509:
503:
500:
495:
489:
486:
479:
477:
475:
474:
469:
465:
464:Tom Hollander
461:
460:
454:
452:
451:
446:
445:Anton Coppola
442:
441:
436:
428:
426:
424:
420:
416:
415:
410:
406:
405:
400:
396:
395:
390:
386:
382:
377:
375:
370:
368:
364:
359:
357:
356:
351:
345:
343:
339:
329:
322:
320:
317:
315:
311:
307:
303:
302:Rocco Lentini
298:
296:
293:conducted by
292:
291:
286:
282:
278:
274:
270:
264:
262:
261:Mario Rutelli
258:
254:
250:
249:Mario Rutelli
246:
242:
237:
235:
231:
227:
222:
218:
213:
211:
207:
203:
199:
195:
191:
187:
179:
174:
170:
168:
164:
160:
152:
150:
148:
144:
140:
136:
132:
128:
124:
120:
116:
112:
103:
99:
94:
90:
86:
82:
78:
73:
69:
67:
63:
59:
55:
52:
48:
43:
39:
35:
28:
23:
1001:
969:Verona Arena
964:
955:
946:
942:Teatro Galli
937:
928:
919:
915:Teatro Regio
910:
901:
892:
883:
874:
866:Gabicce Mare
865:
852:
846:Other cities
837:Unipol Arena
800:
765:Teatro Regio
624:(in English)
616:(in English)
608:(in Italian)
585:February 12,
583:. Retrieved
572:
563:
548:
534:
525:
515:
507:
502:
488:
471:
457:
455:
448:
438:
432:
412:
402:
392:
385:Eytan Pessen
378:
371:
360:
353:
346:
334:
318:
299:
288:
265:
238:
214:
183:
156:
110:
108:
75:Construction
44:Piazza Verdi
1023: /
462:, Quentin (
226:tower crane
206:Caltagirone
159:opera house
115:opera house
1038:Categories
1011:13°21′26″E
1008:38°07′13″N
480:References
275:, and the
137:, and the
960:La Fenice
857:Carisport
827:PalaDozza
822:Covo Club
697:Villa Ada
508:Opera Now
394:Feuersnot
342:Agrigento
338:Selinunte
190:cathedral
147:acoustics
88:Architect
933:Cocoricò
929:Riccione
718:La Scala
579:Archived
437:'s film
290:Falstaff
194:Acireale
176:Bust of
66:Capacity
947:Treviso
902:Mezzago
815:Bologna
789:Palermo
404:Gisela!
245:baroque
241:classic
234:columns
221:theatre
217:Rutelli
202:Palermo
167:theatre
119:Palermo
96:Website
47:Palermo
41:Address
982:Portal
965:Verona
956:Venice
938:Rimini
893:Mantua
853:Cesena
742:Naples
281:Vienna
143:Vienna
123:Sicily
113:is an
80:Opened
996:Opera
920:Rieti
911:Parma
906:Bloom
875:Genoa
758:Turin
706:Milan
350:Verdi
285:Verdi
273:Paris
230:Greek
198:villa
135:Paris
70:1.387
57:Owner
51:Italy
884:Fano
665:Rome
587:2016
355:Aida
340:and
312:and
243:and
204:and
109:The
83:1897
411:'s
401:'s
391:'s
352:'s
287:'s
279:in
271:in
141:in
133:in
1040::
967::
958::
949::
940::
931::
922::
913::
904::
895::
886::
877::
868::
859:,
855::
571:.
524:.
453:.
407:,
397:,
369:.
316:.
308:,
304:,
297:.
212:.
149:.
121:,
984::
652:e
645:t
638:v
589:.
557:.
528:.
496:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
