10 Best Performing Arts in Sicily, Italy

As the biggest theater in Italy, Teatro Massimo is truly larger than life. Concerts and operas are presented throughout the year, though in summer concerts are usually held outdoors. An opera at the Massimo is an unforgettable Sicilian experience.

The feast of Siracusa's patron, Santa Lucia, is held on December 13 and 20 at the Church of Santa Lucia alla Badia. A splendid silver statue of the saint is carried from the church to the Duomo: a torchlight procession and band music accompany the bearers, while local families watch from their balconies.

Palermo's tradition of puppet theater holds an appeal for children and adults alike, and street artists often perform outside the Teatro Massimo in summer. One of the most celebrated examples of the folk tradition is performed by the Figli d'Arte Cuticchio association, which hosts classic puppet shows from September to June.

During February and March, when most of the almond trees are in blossom, Agrigento hosts the Sagra del Mandorlo in Fiore, with international folk dances, a costumed parade, and the sale of marzipan and other sweet treats made from almonds.

The Teatro Greco and the Palazzo dei Congressi, near the entrance to the theater, are the main venues for the summer festival dubbed TaoArte, held each year between June and August. Performances encompass classical music, ballet, and theater.

Sicily's famous festival takes place in late June.

Although it has died out in most other parts of the island, the puppet-theater tradition carries on in Acireale with a small but informative free exhibit at the Museo Opera dei Pupi, which recounts the history of the art and displays the puppets once used in widely beloved local performances.

From early May to mid-July, Siracusa's ancient Teatro Greco stages performances of classical tragedy and comedy. Tickets begin from €28. The ticket office is at  Corso Matteotti 29, in Ortigia.

Opera season (October through June) attracts top singers and productions to the birthplace of the great composer Vincenzo Bellini. Guided tours of the theater's lavish interior, built in 1890, run Tuesday through Saturday from 9 am to noon, as theater business permits; call first to ensure you can get a tour. Enter by the box office on Piazza Bellini.

The shamelessly grandiose, neoclassical Teatro Politeama Garibaldi, home of the Orchestra Sinfonica Siciliana, stages a season of opera and orchestral works from October through June.