GREEK THEATER SYRACUSE

Stage of history and beauty

The Greek theater of Syracuse it is one of the most beautiful stages that the Roman age left us as a legacy. In the list of what to see in Syracuse, as you can read in this article in case you missed it, the theater of Syracuse certainly has a place of honor. Unlike other arenas scattered throughout the European and African territories that were under Roman rule, theamphitheater of Syracuse is still in operation thanks to the INDA foundation which allows the most beautiful tragedies of the classical world.

To make people understand how extraordinary it is, it is better to know its history and structure. It was built by the architect Myrilla before the fifth century BC although the appearance we see today is the result of a transformation desired by Jerone II in the third century BC

Unfortunately, over the centuries much of the white stone with which it is built was plundered. Pieces went for the construction of the Spanish fortifications, others were removed to install water mills inside the orchestra, on the cavea and other areas of the theater.

The installation of the mills that carried the water of the Galermini aqueduct made it one of the most spectacular and scenic theaters of the time. Currently the only evidence of this ancient reality is the millers' house, a small tower-shaped building that overlooks the eastern part of the cavea.

What we can visit today is a skeleton carved into the rock consisting of the cavea, the orchestra and the base of the scenic building.

The auditorium is 138.60 meters long and is divided into two sectors that can be reached from the diazoma, a large semicircular corridor. Walking along it we can see on the north wall some engravings that show the names of divinities and well-known personalities of the basileus family. In the center we find the father of all gods, Zeus; to the east Heracles - better known as the hero Hercules - and Demeter - wife of Zeus; to the west are the names of Jerone II, of his consort Queen Philistis, of his daughter-in-law Nereid and his son Gelone II.

The orchestra is located at the foot of the cavea and originally contained an altar dedicated to Dionysus. Like everything related to the classical world, the choice was not accidental, in fact Dionysus is linked to the myth of the birth of theater as an art. The choir was positioned above the euripus canal which separated the audience space from that of the choir.

The stage building is characterized by the so-called "carontee stairs" which allowed the appearance or disappearance of the stage characters. Imagine being in a world that does not know special effects and finding yourself in a theater full of water and where the characters are able to appear and disappear… Today it is something that leaves us speechless. Even in the late imperial age, the orchestra was adapted to accommodate the colymbetra, the spectacular water games commissioned by Nerazio Palmato in the fifth century.

The terrace is cut into the slopes of the Temenite hill and has an L-shaped portico and a cave in the sides of which there are niches that housed statues and were also used as tombs. In the base there are two inscriptions that recall the muses.

The Via dei Sepolcri was the ancient access to the upper part of the theater and reaches the top of the temenite. In the Hellenistic period quadringular hollows were added that were used to praise the heroized dead.

The INDA Syracuse Foundation

Thanks to the work carried out by the operators of the INDA foundation, the Greek theater of Syracuse is back to its former glory, bringing the greatest tragedians and artists such as Pier Paolo Pasolini, Salvatore Quasimodo, Dario del Corno, Maria Grazia Ciani, Vittorio Gassman, Valeria Moriconi and many others.

Each year it offers a rich program of performances and gives the very young people the opportunity, since 1923, to embark on a new career through the establishment of theNational Institute of Ancient Drama.

Classical representations Syracuse

Every year the INDA association promotes the use of the famous classical representations which, every year, are able to attract spectators from all over Sicily and beyond. It is therefore an unmissable event for lovers of the genre and beyond.

The performances staged from year to year embrace the works of the most famous Greek playwrights and playwrights, from Euripides to Aristophanes, from Aeschylus to Sophocles.
Among the best known and most recently staged works are Aristophanes 'Lysistrata, Euripides' The Trojans and Helen, but also Sophocles's Electra, the Seven Against Thebes and Aeschylus's Supplices.

The Greek tragedies Syracuse they have been translated from the original texts and reconstructed by internationally renowned directors.

Syracuse Greek theater ticket prices for classic tragedies you will find them as always on the website of the Inda Foundation.