Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
DON'T MISS
PALERMO'S OPERA DEI PUPI
Sicily's most popular form of traditional entertainment is the
opera dei pupi
(rod-marionette theatre), and the best
place to attend a performance is in Palermo.
Marionettes were first introduced to the island by the Spanish in the 18th century and the art form was swiftly
embraced by locals, who were enthralled with the re-enacted tales of Charlemagne and his heroic knights Orlando
and Rinaldo. Effectively the soap operas of their day, these puppet shows expounded the deepest sentiments of
life - unrequited love, treachery, thirst for justice and the anger and frustration of the oppressed. Back then, a pup-
pet could speak volumes where a man could not.
There are traditionally two types of
opera dei pupi
in Sicily: Palermitan (practised in Palermo, Agrigento and
Trapani) and Catanese (in Catania, Messina and Syracuse). Carved from beech, olive or lemon-tree wood, the ma-
rionettes stand some 1.5m high, have wire joints and wear richly coloured costumes. The knights are clad in met-
al suits of armour that make the figures shine and resonate when they engage in swordfights with bloodthirsty
Saracen warriors or mythical monsters.
Good puppeteers are judged on the dramatic effect they can create - lots of stamping feet, thundering and a
gripping running commentary - and on their speed and skill in directing the battle scenes. Nowadays the
opera
dei pupi
has been relegated to folklore status, maintained by a few companies largely for the benefit of tourists
and children. The best places to attend a performance are at the Museo Internazionale delle Marionette Antonio
Pasqualino (
Click here
) or at the
Teatro dei Pupi Cuticchio
OFFLINE MAP
GOOGLE MAP
( 091 32 34 00;
www.figlidartecuticchio.com
;
Via Bara all'Olivella 95; 6.30pm Sat & Sun Sep-Jul) , a company run by the
Associazione Figli d'Arte Cuticchio (check website for performance times).
Shopping
FOOD & DRINK
Gusti di Sicilia
(Via Emerico Amari 79; 8.30am-11pm Mon-Sat, 8.30am-2pm & 6-11pm Sun)
This recently expanded
gourmet grocery is a stellar spot to stock up on edible Sicilian souvenirs, from tins of tuna
to jars of caponata, capers and marmalade to bottles of wine and olive oil to unexpected
treasures like
'pasta con le sarde'
sauce. Everything's packaged beautifully, making this a
perfect source for gifts as well as personal souvenirs.
Siculamente
CLOTHING
(
www.siculamente.it
; Via Emerico Amari 136; 9.30am-1.30pm & 4-8pm)
Wear a little Sicilian slang with
one of the T-shirts and hats sold at this trendy little shop. All bear captions in local dialect,
from pithy Sicilian proverbs to cheeky, humorous or political statements. The store's cata-
