To walk down the main street of Noto, Sicily’s Baroque capital, requires an enthusiasm to be a part of the joyous theatricality of the place. (I wrote of Noto in a 2013 blog after I had spent a couple of wonderful nights in Sicily’s, ‘Golden City’ (as noted by Raleigh Trevelyan) to see the town’s famous L’Infiorata.)
Walk west to a small theatre
Wander towards the western end of Corso Vittorio Emanuele, the main street, and stop a while in Piazza XVI Maggio with your back to the Gagliardi Baroque 'masterpiece', the Church of San Domenico.
In front is the Neo Classic theatre, Teatro Tina Di Lorenzo. Known, since its inauguration in December 1870, as the Vittorio Emanuele Theatre, the town paid homage to the much loved Italian actress Tina Di Lorenzo, whose roots go back to a Sicilian marquis of Noto and the theatre is now also known by her name.
Neo Classicism
It is a neo classic gem. The portico: deep with a double order of four Ionic style columns and end arches leads to a set of three, double swinging doors graced over head with photos of the lovely Tina Di Lorenzo.
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The interior
Accented in gold and filled with red velvet seats, the interior has three rows of enchanting curved boxes. It accommodates 300 people and was designed along the lines of the 'great European theatre' which includes; San Carlo, Naples; Teatro Massimo, Palermo; Teatro Bellini, Catania; and La Scala, Milan.
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Each year it runs a season of opera, poetry, theatre and music and one day, I would love to see a show in this small theatre in Sicily's 'golden' Baroque capital.
When you leave Teatro Tina Di Lorenzo take time to admire Gagliardi’s Church of San Domenico and the garden, known as Villa d’Erocle, where an old fountain of Hercules, from Noto Antico, splashes water.
Salve,
Suzanne
Please Note: This year's L'Infiorata runs May 15th,16th & 17th.
All photos are from The Sicilain House archives and were taken in 2010 & 2013.
Edited 9/5/2015 & 24/8/15; To include Raleigh Trevelyan's reference to Noto as the "Golden City" which was not in the original blog.
