"The Idea" Theatre

The ‘Idea’ Theatre was built between 1848 and 1851 by a middle class group of art lovers from Sambuca. The structure and the style follow those of great theatres such as the Bellini of Catania, the Politeama of Palermo, and the Pirandello of Agrigento. In 1886, when the decedents of the family that had it built could no longer support the costs of management and maintenance, the theatre was acquired by the Municipality. At the end of the nineteenth century, restored and decorated in an Art Neoveau style, it was reopened for public use. Three staircases, one central and two lateral, lead from the hall to the stalls and the boxes. The interior has a classic horseshoe form with flattened dome vault. It has three levels of boxes, stalls and a large stage, and can accommodate around 250 people. A grandiose chandelier in Boemia glass lights up the theatre.