Ancient Theater in Siracusa

The 2014 season of L’Istituto Nazionale del Dramma Antico (INDA) has begun in Siracusa. INDA has existed since 1914, and it presents ancient masterpieces of theater at Siracusa’s Teatro Antico–the same stage on which some of these works may have been premiered centuries ago! This photo is from the 2012 season when I saw The…

Mesmerizing for Hours

Before video games, TV, and films, Sicilians had carts and cart drivers, traveling minstrels, and vendors whose songs told the stories of the detailed scenes painted on cart panels. Examining the mesmerizing craftsmanship of each unique “carretto” could keep you busy for hours.

Snippets that Reveal Treasures

This is a snippet of a larger painting that hangs in the chambers of Palermo’s Palazzo dei Normanni, the house of the Sicilian Parliament. I love it for two reasons: it shows pre-twentieth century traditional dress of the women working in the field and one of them is holding a traditional Sicilian, woven basket.