Sicily is an island of tales, traditions and memories preserved through generations, thanks to the love and passion of artisans and artists who have worked for years to enrich a huge and fragile intangible heritage. An evidence of this tradition is the Sicilian Puppet Theater, which is a fundamental part of the Sicilian history. Paladins, women and knights, duels and shells are the ingredients of a long lasting tale, where the Sicilian language is the sound track: an obscure tune, played and told by the puppet artist and storyteller, who is director and spectator of the show.
The Puppet Theater has 2 different traditions, in Palermo and Catania and in 2008 it was listed in the intangible UNESCO heritage. The most evident difference between the puppets of Palermo and Catania is their size and movement: the former are lighter and more adjustable, the latter are heavier and more fixed.
Local people and tourists can still enjoy the show within the traditional small theaters, thanks to the work of some historical families of artists: Mimmo Cuticchio, Argento, Mancuso and Greco in Palermo, Crimi, Trombetta and Napoli in Catania, and more. Moreover, in Palermo a huge collection of Sicilian and foreign puppets is hosted within the International Museum of Puppets Antonio Pasqualino and in the Museum Giuseppe Pitrè.