The Puppet Opera

The characteristic theatrical show animated by skilled puppeteers, unfortunately today only on request. It owes its origins to the great medieval heroes, who fought for Christianity against the Saracens. The most recurring theme was the struggle of the paladins against the Muslim occupiers of the Iberian peninsula, a threat to the Frankish kingdom and all of Europe. The theater was already known in 1500 in France as well as in Spain, it only arrived in Italy in the 17th century and arrived in Sicily only in 1800. In Sicily it took on its own characteristics making it the typical Sicilian theater with tales and stories more suited to the suffering Bourbon Sicily of the period in which the so-called puppet opera had its specific evolution, telling in a realistic way the historical events and injustices of the moment, the Sicilians recognized themselves in the deeds of the brave paladins, constantly fighting against evil. There were two puppet schools in Sicily in particular: the Catanese one represented by the Naples brothers, a historic family that still stages the puppet opera theater today. In Palermo with the Cuticchio family. The diversity of the two different schools lies not only in the representation and the scenes, but lies in the puppets themselves. The Catanese puppet measures 1.30 m and weighs approximately 30 kg. The smallest Palermo puppet 80cm 13kg. While maintaining the same spectacularity in the stage tricks, the wires, the voices, the sounds of the battle, the pouring of blood from the mouths of the warriors, the use of flares and Greek pitch simulate the din of bloody battles, but also the use of figures monstrous like fire-breathing dragons. The use of costumes and armor is particular. Charlemagne always richly dressed with crown and cross. The paladins with armour, kilt and cloak. Saracens with typical turban and crescents and big mustaches on their faces. The warrior women with embossed breasts and armour. Finally, the Magonzani traitors of Christians with evil faces and downturned moustaches. What was most represented was the historical episode of the Battle of Roncesvalles which actually occurred in 778 in Spain then occupied by the Arabs. The defeat of the brave champion of Charlemagne who had to retreat to take care of the wars in Saxony, protected by Orlando and his men during the crossing back to the Frankish kingdom a few steps from Roncesvalles suffered a defeat which became a legend narrated both in France and in the rest of Europe so that like an echo the story was handed down, transformed, enriched until it reached our Sicily. Among the various stagings by our puppeteers there are: the crusades in the holy land, Orlando's madness for the pagan Angelica taken from the poetic inventions of Boiardo, and Ariosto, Orlando in love, Orlando Furioso, Gerusalemme liberata by Torquato Tasso. But on the occasion of the holidays the death of Christ, Sant'Agata, San Luigi Gonzaga and Santa Lucia were also staged. There are different figures of the characters Charlemagne, Rinaldo, Gano di Magonza, Bradamante, Angelica, Oliviero. The brave paladin Orlando: first general paladin of the French and Roman armies. He courageously commands a handful of warriors, strong, proud and passionate, for the love of angelica he kills the emperor Agricane of Tartary in a duel. He loses his mind and when he discovers that his beloved has fallen in love with Medoro so that he performs extraordinary and disastrous deeds, until his cousin Astolfo recovers his mind on the moon. Orlando dies in Roncesvalles playing the oliphant.