ROME – The 2,500-year-old Greek theatre in the Sicilian port city of Syracuse, considered the greatest surviving example of ancient theatrical architecture, has shown signs of damage and potential crumbling due to noise pollution, archaeologists say. But cash-hungry local authorities have authorised 10 noisy concerts by the likes of Zucchero and the veteran troubadour Francesco De Gregori blasting decibels in the historic monument for the coming year, despite the risk of further fracture or collapse.

 “The rock it is made of has problems of erosion and fracturing, which wear it out and reduce its shape,” Antonello Mamo, director of the Neapolis Archaeological Park, told Il Fatto Quotidiano newspaper.  The theatre on the south slopes of the Temenite hill overlooking modern Syracuse, first built in the 5th century BC and rebuilt in the 3rd century BC,  underwent testing in October, but its exact conditions are currently unknown. The data will not arrive before this year’s performances begin, which has caused concern among archaeologists and scholars

 “We do not know how much load the theatre can support with the machines and stage equipment. There is a risk that some parts could fracture or break off,” said Lorenzo Lazzarini, petrography professor at the University of Venice.

 The results and opinion of the Department of the Pro Tempore Cultural Heritage concluded that further investigations were necessary but that it was not appropriate to suspend the scheduled shows pending the results.  

 Because 10 shows had already been authorized, Amphitheatre Sicily, the theatre’s regional commission, made the decision to go ahead with the shows already scheduled for this year.

 The National Institute of Ancient Drama (Inda) organizes annual classical and opera performances at the theater and is coming up on its 58th edition. The ancient Greek tragedies are performed at sunset, in Italian without sound systems because of the quality of the theatre's acoustics. Each theatre season begins in May and ends in July, attracting thousands of spectators from all over the world. Some of the most illustrious performed tragedies are Antigone, Oedipus Rex, Electra, Medea and the Bacchae.

 The venue has grown in popularity over the last few years as more international artists seek it out for performances. Rock and pop music artists performing this year include Zucchero, Giorgia, Venditti-De Gregori, Biagio Antonacci, Negramaro, and The Flight.

 The commission confirmed that they will not be taking any other requests into consideration for this year’s season, purposefully reducing the number of shows, but some are still worried the onslaught of philistine decibels may be too much.

 A group of teachers, scholars, and archaeologists recently signed a document adressed to Sicilian Governor Renato Schifani, asking for a “remedial strategy for the theatre” and smarter choices on the performances, as many of the scheduled music shows require piling additional equipment and machinery onto the stage. 

 But the mayor of Syracuse, Francesco Italia, a veteran activist for gay rights who decamped from the centre-left Democratic Party to the centrist Azione party in 2019, dismissed the experts' concern.

 “It is a controversy without logic because the structure is the same used by Inda. Theatrical shows are attended by around 40,000-50,000 people, in peak years we had 160,000 to170,000 spectators, concerts are attended by 10,000 to 12,000."

 "If the protection is good enough for (Greek) tragedies, I don't understand why it can't be good for concerts as well.”

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