Politeama theater

Politeama theater

1850s - 1870s. Hot years, new ideas, renewal throughout Europe. New important opera houses are built: Opera Garnier in Paris, Stadtoper in Vienna and the Teatro Massimo in Palermo. All mark the triumph of neoclassicism and eclecticism.

But in Palermo the other school does not want to die, also inspired by antiquity but not to transform it, but to reproduce it.

Leader of this declining trend, Giuseppe Damiani Almeyda (Capua, 1834 - Palermo, 1911), architect of the Palermo Senate. He was the promoter of the public competition for the construction of the new Massimo theater. But Basile won.

The City of Palermo fixed the embarrassing situation by instructing D'Almeyda to build a second theater, less than 300 meters from the previous. The Politeama theater.

So, with great respect for tradition, after the battle of the two cathedrals during William II period, Palermo expressed the fervor of its Risorgimento and Garibaldi's campaigns also through this unprecedented duel of architects.

1850s - 1870s. Hot years, new ideas, renewal throughout Europe. New important opera houses are built: Opera Garnier in Paris, Stadtoper in Vienna and the Teatro Massimo in Palermo. All mark the triumph of neoclassicism and eclecticism.

But in Palermo the other school does not want to die, also inspired by antiquity but not to transform it, but to reproduce it.

Leader of this declining trend, Giuseppe Damiani Almeyda (Capua, 1834 - Palermo, 1911), architect of the Palermo Senate. He was the promoter of the public competition for the construction of the new Massimo theater. But Basile won.

The City of Palermo fixed the embarrassing situation by instructing D'Almeyda to build a second theater, less than 300 meters from the previous. The Politeama theater.

So, with great respect for tradition, after the battle of the two cathedrals during William II period, Palermo expressed the fervor of its Risorgimento and Garibaldi's campaigns also through this unprecedented duel of architects.

1850s - 1870s. Hot years, new ideas, renewal throughout Europe. New important opera houses are built: Opera Garnier in Paris, Stadtoper in Vienna and the Teatro Massimo in Palermo. All mark the triumph of neoclassicism and eclecticism.

But in Palermo the other school does not want to die, also inspired by antiquity but not to transform it, but to reproduce it.

Leader of this declining trend, Giuseppe Damiani Almeyda (Capua, 1834 - Palermo, 1911), architect of the Palermo Senate. He was the promoter of the public competition for the construction of the new Massimo theater. But Basile won.

The City of Palermo fixed the embarrassing situation by instructing D'Almeyda to build a second theater, less than 300 meters from the previous. The Politeama theater.

So, with great respect for tradition, after the battle of the two cathedrals during William II period, Palermo expressed the fervor of its Risorgimento and Garibaldi's campaigns also through this unprecedented duel of architects.