David and Virginia in Paris and Sicily, September 2014: What's on at the Teatro Massimo, or The Phoenicians called it Panormos

September 24-25, posted September 26, Paris CDG

Now called Palermo, is the capital of Sicily at the foot of Mt. Pelligrino. It's a vibrant city with the sounds and sights of a city under construction. The bad news is that renovation of these stone buildings is a long, dusty, noisy process. The good news is that once renovated, like the Opera House, the Teatro Massimo, is a wonder to behold.

Teatro Massimo--a neo- classical design of about 1850

And behold we did. As luck would have it, the last performance of "La Fille du Regiment" by Donizetti was playing on Wednesday evening. We got last minute tickets at half price, and we we're enthrall led with Desirée Rancatore who played Marie. She was loved by the demonstrative audience who didn't spare the shouts of "Brava". Not only the audience showed their appreciation, but also the cast of soldiers who drummed the floor of the stage with their rifle butts. Being there was magical, however, without air conditioning, we were brought back to reality. The Italian word for performance is most apt for our experience, a 'spettacolo'. It was spectacular!

David and Virginia at the Teatro Massimo, Palermo

I had planned on seeing at least two places in Palermo: the Museo Archeologico and the Capella Palatina. Since we hadn't visited museums associated with the Greek sites we had visited, I thought we could make up for this omission by visiting the Palermo museum exhibits. But the gods were not with us; the Museo Archeologico was closed for renovation. We substituted the Palazzo Abatellis, a Catalan Gothic building that is the Galleria Regionale Della Sicilia. There are more paintings of the Madonna and Child and Christ in the cross than there are olives in Sicily. It didn't have the Greco-Roman artifacts that I had hoped for, but it was interesting to see that Sicilian artists were accomplished artists of the 13 to 17 th centuries.

Madonna and Child, Sicilian...about 13th century

The true gem of Palermo is the Cappella Palatina. It was founded in 1132 by Roger II, and has sparkling gold mosaics from the Arab/Norman period. Similar to Monreale, but more intimate. The walls are decorated with Biblical scenes, and is dedicated to Saints Peter and Paul. The bacilica also has Islamic/geometric designed tiles. It would be easy to be mesmerized by these mosaics and to spend hours following the stories they tell (e.g. Adam and Eve, Jesus and the money lenders in the temple, etc.).

Christ Pantocrator, Palermo

Islamic designs at the Capella Palatina

We visited many other places in Palermo such as the Ballaro market, the Cathedral, San Giovanni degli Ermiti, and San Cataldo...take my word for it, they were all interesting to visit. A few more photos...