It is in the second half of nineteen century that was born the Pupi Siciliani, puppets tall a meter, that represent mythical figures of Chanson de Geste, which incarnate mythical knight  Orlando, Rinaldo, Carl Magno, and that act the epic battles between Christian knights and Moors. “The women, the knights, the arms, the loves, the courtesies, the audacious enterprises” to cite the Orlando Furioso of Ludovico Ariosto, were sung in the theatre from Pupi players, true works of art.

 

The Puparo, that is hidden behind the theater box, not only gives to voice and movement to the Pupo, but also he is the craftsman, even if it  uses a blacksmith for the realization of the armours, and the painter for the decorations of the theatre: a lot of curtains in fact, must be realized  in order to represent the different battle scenes. The most important theatres were built in Catania and in Palermo, and from famous families of Pupari, come some of the most famous the theatre Sicilian actors , like Giovanni Grasso and Angelo Musco.

 

Today the trade of the Puparo is becoming more and more rare, but these artists still today continue to keep alive a tradition that  represents part of the culture and the folclore of the Sicily.