The word politeama has ancient Greek roots and refers to the theater being built for multiple purposes—Palermo already had a grand opera house in the Teatro Massimo when Teatro Politeama Garibaldi was built—but the theater is primarily known for the orchestra. The interior is classically Italian, with red velvet and gold décor and two levels of theater boxes lining the semicircular main seating area. Even the theater’s curtain at the front of the stage is a work of art, depicting a scene from Greek mythology painted in 1891. Some city tours include a stop at the Politeama Garibaldi Theater or you can visit on your own with a hop-on hop-off bus tour.
The Teatro Politeama Garibaldi is located on Piazza Ruggero Settimo in the city’s historic center within walking distance of the port and train station.
Visit during daylight hours to take in the theater’s grand exterior architecture and in the evening to catch a classical music performance inside the concert hall.
Fans of architecture and music may also want to visit Palermo’s Teatro Massimo, the largest opera house in Italy. This 19th-century concert hall has a magnificent neoclassical exterior that echoes Sicily’s ancient temples, as well as lavishly gilded interiors and impeccable acoustics that make it one of the most prestigious venues for opera and classical music in Europe.