Far from noise, in the silence of these walls you can feel the profound sensation of an emotion that overcomes us and tells us of distant times. In these places full of memory you can only hear the breeze that rises from the sea and makes the gentle stalks of the dry herbs sway. Along the dark c...

The secret of acoustics in Greek theatres can be traced back to their semi-circular shape, which helps to "hold" sound. Great importance is also attributed to the steps and their slope: the stone suitably inclined structures act like acoustic filters. Thanks to the stone steps, it was possible to r...

Scholars and schoolchildren on trips to Syracuse pause in amazement and wonder in the cavern described by Caravaggio as the "Ear of Dionysius". Tradition has it that the tyrant Dionysius, thanks to the extraordinary echoing between the cave walls, could hear every single word spoken by the slaves i...

Frederick II loved to surround himself on various and frequent occasions with instrument players and singers. His castles resounded with the ancient verses of the Sicilian poetic school and the notes of troubadour lyrical music, which flourished in Europe in the Late Middle Ages. The troubadours s...

One of the instruments of ancient Sicilian shepherds, the "marranzanu", or mouth harp, was used to accompany the flute. In Sicily, the term marranzanu is used to refer to night crickets. Therefore, it's likely that the instrument was named using onomatopoeia because of its sound and monotone hum. ...

Near the northern Necropolis, there is the Grotta dei Pipistrelli (Bat Cave), the largest natural grotto in Pantalica. Those who enter this place no longer have daylight to guide them and must rely on their sense of hearing only. Its silence is interrupted by large drops of water falling from the s...

In memory of the glorious Greek polis, let's immerse ourselves in the atmosphere of the symposium, during which young "ethereal" women were invited to dance and play the aulos, a flute-like wind instrument. Music played a very important role in the symposium. In addition to the aulos there was oft...

One of the unique aspects of the Greek theatre is its exceptional acoustics. In ancient times actors did not use microphones to amplify their voices, but the spectators on the highest steps were able to hear the performances. The secret to the acoustics in Greek theatres is connected to their semic...

In Roman times music played an important role in circus games, gladiator ludi and battles. Often the performances in the Roman Amphitheatre began with a procession enlivened by wind instruments such as the horn and the organ, specifically the hydraulis, the water organ. The fights began with en...

In Greek tradition, the bloody sacrifices began with a procession led by a virgin with a basket of bread, cereal grains and the "sacrificial knife". The sacrifices were marked by the alternation of music, silence and invocations. The flute gave vitality to the rite and accompanied some of its mo...