Finally, on 16 May 1897, twenty-two years after the laying of the foundation stone, the third largest opera house in Europe at the time — after the Palais Garnier in Paris, and the K. K. Hof-Opernhaus in Vienna— was inaugurated with a performance of Verdi's Falstaff conducted by Leopoldo Mugnone.

Basile was inspired by ancient and classical Sicilian architecture and, thus, the exterior was designed in the high neoclassical style incorporating elements of the Greek temples at Selinunte and Agrigento.

In recent years, "charges of corruption and political meddling…along with budget deficits and heavy debts" have plagued the house, but, under its then part-English music director, Jan Latham Koenig, it was reported that it is once again on track.

[2] 2013-2014 was a two-year hiatus under the leadership of the comissario straordinario Fabio Carapezza Guttuso, who brought in Lorenzo Amato and Eytan Pessen as artistic advisors.

Under Carapezza Guttuso's leadership the theatre offered a varied programme including Richard Strauss's Feuersnot,[3] Hans Werner Henze's Gisela!, Jaromir Weinberger's Schwanda the bagpiper and an increased ballet activity.

[5][6] In the second season of The White Lotus, Quentin (Tom Hollander) takes Tanya (Jennifer Coolidge) to see a performance of Madama Butterfly at the Teatro Massimo.