The Teatro Sangiorgi or Sangiorgi Theater is a cinematography, song, and drama stage located on Via Antonino di Sangiuliano #233 of central Catania, region of

Sicily (man) it, Siciliana (woman) , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = Ethnicity , demographics1_footnotes = , demographi ...

, Italy. It was erected in 1900, across the street from the Palazzo Manganelli, and designed in a

Liberty style Liberty style ( it, Stile Liberty) was the Italian variant of Art Nouveau, which flourished between about 1890 and 1914. It was also sometimes known as ''stile floreale'', ''arte nuova'', or ''stile moderno''. It took its name from Arthur Lasenby ...

(Italian Art Nouveau). It is presently owned by the same entity as the

Teatro Massimo Bellini The Teatro Massimo Bellini is an opera house located on Piazza Vincenzo Bellini in Catania, Sicily, southern Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is ...

History and Description

When it was inaugurated in 1900 as mainly a stage for live opera during a summer season, the complex included a cafe, restaurant, and even a small hotel. The opening performance was ''

La bohème ''La bohème'' (; ) is an opera in four acts,Puccini called the divisions '' quadri'', '' tableaux'' or "images", rather than ''atti'' (acts). composed by Giacomo Puccini between 1893 and 1895 to an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giusep ...

'' di

Giacomo Puccini Giacomo Puccini ( Lucca, 22 December 1858Bruxelles, 29 November 1924) was an Italian composer known primarily for his operas. Regarded as the greatest and most successful proponent of Italian opera after Verdi, he was descended from a long ...

. It was commissioned by Mario Sangiorgi to serve a lighter open air fare and entertainment than the opulent Teatro Massimo Bellini. By 1906, the theater was screening cinema projections. The theater was not roofed till 1907, and further decoration was provided in the atrium by the painter Salvatore De Gregorio. The fortunes of the theater declined, and by the 1960s the theater remained closed until 2002, when it underwent restoration and commissioned the theater as an alternate hall for the Teatro Bellini. It also stages performances for younger audiences.

References

*Mainly translated from Italian Wikipedia entry
Entry on history
in Teatro Massimo Bellini website. {{DEFAULTSORT:Sangiorgi Catania Theatres in Sicily Buildings and structures in Catania Sangiorgi Art Nouveau architecture in Italy Theatres completed in 1900 1900 establishments in Italy