Teatro Massimo Vincenzo Bellini

The theater was inaugurated on May 31, 1890, although the planning date dates back to the period following the earthquake of 1693.

After several evaluations, it was chosen as the site to adapt the theater to Piazza Cutelli, but due to lack of funds the works were blocked in the bud and, alternatively, it was decided to restructure the Pacini arena, transforming it into a Politeama that could meet the needs of citizenship. Later, the project was finally approved and the works financed by the Politeama anonymous company were started.

The last phase of the epidemic ended, the theater was finally able to open its doors to the public on May 31st 1890 with the theatrical “prima”, the “Norma” of the fellow Vincenzo Bellini.In the first decade of the twentieth century, thanks to the impresario Giuseppe Cavallaro, operas of remarkable importance were staged: “Guglielmo Tell” by Rossini, “La damnation of Faust” by Berlioz, “Isabeau” by Mascagni and also Bellini’s works such as “Norma”, “Sonnambula” and “Puritani”. The seventies will allow a young Katia Ricciarelli to take the stage of the Teatro Bellini for the first time at the “Anna Bolena” by Gaetano Donizetti and to present a great work such as “Macbeth” by Giuseppe Verdi with actors Olivia Stapp and Kostas Pascalis The current artistic direction has been entrusted to Maestro Francesco Nicolosi.