The crypt of the church of San Domenico is where the Dominican friars were taken when they died. This is one of the main places of silence in the church, a small space characterised by few elements such as an altar and closed arcades. It is interesting to note the stark contrast between the bare a...

On a visit to the Cathedral of San Giorgio you can still appreciate the notes from the four keyboards, eighty stops and three thousand pipes of the monumental church organ designed by Casimiro Allieri, which still works today and is used for the most important liturgical celebrations. It is an instr...

The characteristic corbels of these balconies feature depictions of mermaids, musicians and musical instruments, including maracas, a flute and a trumpet. Staring at us playfully from above, this small orchestra seems to draw our attention and invite us to enter the evocative building. ...

The scenic staircase of the church of San Giorgio hosted performances of plays about the patron saint until the 18th century. The stories performed on the staircase, used as an open-air stage, told of the chivalrous deeds of "Giorgio di Capocci" who freed the Queen of Berito from the Dragon, but th...

During the celebrations of the Madonna dei Conadomini the procession is accompanied by the sombre sound of brogne, large seashells used as musical instruments. The strong contrast between the explosion of colour in the decorated floats and infiorata of the Staircase and the sombre sound of these na...

The magnificent pipe organ that rises from the chancel above the large entrance portal was built between 1925 and 1928 by the brothers Michele and Agostino Polizzi of Modica, who sought to bring back Baroque melodies to the restored church. In fact, the sound of this scenographic instrument takes i...

The life of the Benedictine monks was marked by the strict rule of Ora et Labora (Prayer and Work), which meant dividing the day between prayer, work and study. The entire monastery, but especially the courtyards and the church with the large organ, would have been pervaded by the singing of the m...

During the feast of St. Agatha, the statue of Catania's patron saint would be carried in front of the church and left there for some time so that from above, behind the gratings, the devout Benedictine nuns could honour the Saint with singing and prayer. Currently the rite continues at the church ...

The church has an unbreakable bond with music. The cathedral of St. Agatha is not only home to a magnificent organ, now located above the entrance, but it also houses the remains of the great composer Vincenzo Bellini (1801-1835). Though he died very young, he was recognised as one of the greatest ...

If we lived in Palazzo Nicolaci and were in one of the rooms overlooking Via Corrado Nicolaci, on the third Sunday in May we would hear voices in the street. On this day, the Saluto alla Primavera (Greeting to Spring) is celebrated, also known as the Infiorata, which attracts many people to Noto. ...