Rating: 8,3/10 (2867 votes) ![]() Massimo is an opera house in Piazza Verdi. The theater is the largest in Italy. In 1864, the mayor of the city of Palermo announced a competition for the best project of an opera house that could decorate the city and remind of the national unity of Italy. Giovanni Battista Filippo Basile won the competition. The construction of the theater began in January 1874. After some time, construction work was frozen for 8 years, and only in 1890 were they resumed. In 1891, after Basile's death, the work was continued by his son Ernesto. In May 1897, the theater opened its doors to the general public. On the opening day, Giuseppe Verdi's opera Falstaff was staged. The building was constructed in a neoclassical style. The auditorium was created in the late Renaissance style. The sculptural decoration was done by Giusto Liwa. In 1974 the theater underwent a large-scale reconstruction, which took 23 years. The theater reopened its doors in May 1997, but the opera season did not begin until two years later. ![]() ![]() ![]() We also recommend reading Villa Ciza in Italy, Sicily resort Topic: Teatro Massimo in Italy, Sicily resort. |