The Teatro Massimo Bellini on Piazza Vincenzo Bellini in Catania is named after the local-born composer. Discussion of a public theatre began after the 1693 earthquake, and a foundation stone was laid in 1812, but funding problems halted the first project. In 1870 the architect Carlo Sada was tasked with finding a site. The municipality took over, made it a single-purpose opera house, and completed it in seven years. It was inaugurated on May 31, 1890 with Norma and seats 1,200.
The design was inspired by the French Second Empire eclecticism of Charles Garnier's Paris Opera. The red-plush interior has main-floor seating and four tiers of boxes, and Ernesto Bellandi painted the ceiling with scenes from four of Bellini's operas.
Maria Callas sang Norma here in 1951, 1952 and 1953. The theatre also runs the smaller Teatro Sangiorgi.
Comments