(by Franco Nuccio).
The Teatro Massimo in Palermo is
celebrating its 120 years of life and the 20th anniversary of
its reopening after restoration work.
The theater is celebrating the two anniversaries "with
sobriety", said superintendent Francesco Giambrone, presenting
its program.
He added that the most important "gift" to mark the
celebrations was new renovation work scheduled to start this
summer that has been "awaited for a long time and funded through
the Pact for Palermo" by the central government and local
authorities.
The theater was inaugurated on May 16, 1897 with Giuseppe
Verdi's Falstaff.
After hosting leading national and international
productions, the theater was shut down in 1974 for renovation
work, when productions moved to the city's Politeama theater.
On May 12, 1997, the theater reopened with a concert
performed by the Orchestra of the Teatro Massimo, directed by
Franco Mannino.
Claudio Abbado also directed the Berliner Philharmoniker
orchestra in one of the performances marking the event.
Gustav Mahler's second symphony "Resurrection" on May 12 will
be directed by Gabriele Ferro, with soprano Rachel Harnisch and
mezzosoprano Marianna Pizzolato and the orchestra and choir of
the Massimo Theater to mark the 20th anniversary of the
theater's reopening.
Also, an exhibition will be inaugurated on May 11 in the
Pompeiana Hall, organized by architect Gloria Martellucci and
the Amici del Teatro Massimo, called "Artisti e artigiani di
ecellenza" (artists and artisans of excellence).
The exhibit will showcase, among others, costumes from the
theater's productions over the past two decades, inspired by the
work of artists including Felice Casorati and Renato Guttuso,
aswell as photographs.
The theater is not scheduled to close during renovation work,
Palermo Mayor Leoluca Orlando and the theater's superintendent
said.
The restoration is worth some 20 million euros, mainly funded
by the State through the so-called 'Pact with the South' and
will concern the theater's frescoes and stage as well as
decorations in the entrance and halls including the Mirror Hall,
among others.
The restoration is about to start and is scheduled to end
between 2021 and 2023.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © Copyright ANSA
