Teatro Massimo
Performing arts theater · Palermo
P.za Giuseppe Verdi, 90138 Palermo PA, Italy
Highlights
Italy's largest opera house, famed for acoustics & Godfather III scenes
Italy's largest opera house, famed for acoustics & Godfather III scenes
"The country's largest opera house, notable for its copper dome that has been featured on television and serves as a major cultural landmark for architecture and performing-arts enthusiasts wandering the city's terracotta skyline." - Anne Olivia Bauso Anne Olivia Bauso Anne Olivia Bauso is a travel writer and hotel expert based in New York City. She has written hundreds of hotel reviews, from 5-star Ritz-Carlton properties to treehouse eco-resorts in the jungle. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines
"The largest opera house in Italy and the third largest in Europe (smaller only than the ones in Paris and Vienna), inaugurated in 1897. It closed in 1974 for renovation and didn’t reopen until 1997, a milestone that coincided with the city beginning to free itself from the grip of the mafia; the city’s reawakening later culminated in being named Italy’s 2018 Capital of Culture. It appeared in the final scene of The Godfather III; visitors can purchase tickets to see opera and ballet performances (the season kicks off in late November and runs through June) or take a guided tour to get a behind-the-scenes peek backstage." - Laura Itzkowitz Laura Itzkowitz Laura Itzkowitz is a writer and editor based in Rome. She has been contributing to Travel + Leisure since 2014, when she started as a fact checker before becoming a contributing digital editor in 2015. She has also held positions as a contributing editor at The Points Guy and the NYC cities editor at DuJour Magazine. In addition to Travel + Leisure, her writing has appeared in Architectural Digest, Surface Magazine, Brooklyn Magazine, T Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, Vogue, GQ, Departures, Afar, Fodor's, Town & Country, Condé Nast Traveler, Robb Report, Hemispheres, and others. When she's not jetsetting around Italy and beyond, she can be found in Rome, enjoying some cacio e pepe or relaxing at home with her husband and two dogs. Originally from the Boston area, Laura moved to New York City in 2011 to pursue a master's degree in creative writing and translation at Columbia University. She also holds a bachelor's degree in French from Smith College. * 10+ years of experience writing and editing * Co-wrote "New York: Hidden Bars & Restaurants," an award-winning guide to New York City's speakeasy scene published by Jonglez Editions in 2015 * Contributed to "Fodor's Brooklyn," published by Penguin Random House in 2015, which won silver in the Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism competition * Contributed an essay to "Epic Hikes of Europe," published by Lonely Planet in 2021 * Updated the 2022 edition of "Fodor's Essential Italy" Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines
"Teatro Massimo in Palermo is the third largest opera house in Europe after Paris's and Vienna's. It is said that opera flourished in Palermo because of the mafia, with mafia dons enjoying evenings in private boxes."
"A vibrant city in Sicily, Palermo is known for its history, architecture, and unique blend of cultures, making it a fascinating place to explore."
"Italy’s largest theater and opera house, included as a Palermo highlight on the itinerary and presented as a significant cultural stop." - Regan Stephens
