Messina is preparing to welcome one of the emblems of international entertainment, ready to attract a large audience and strengthen the city’s role in the panorama of major events.
“We enthusiastically welcome the return to Messina of an international masterpiece like Notre Dame de Paris. Our city deserves events of this magnitude, capable of attracting audiences from all over Sicily and beyond. The PalaRescifina confirms itself as a point of reference for high-level shows, and we are proud to offer citizens an event of such prestige”, jointly declare the mayor Federico Basile and the councilor for Entertainment and Major Events Massimo Finocchiaro.
The 2026 tour arrives in Messina, at the PalaRescifina from 22 to 25 October 2026. Notre Dame de Paris, the most famous modern popular opera in the world and one of the most impressive shows ever created, will return to Italian theaters starting from 26 February 2026, with over 120,000 tickets already sold. The show, which in 2027 will celebrate the twenty-fifth anniversary of its Italian debut, continues to excite millions of spectators thanks to the music by Riccardo Cocciante, Pasquale Panella’s masterful adaptation of the original texts by Luc Plamondon and Victor Hugo’s timeless novel.
The 2026 edition will see a large part of the original cast on stage: Giò Di Tonno (Quasimodo), Vittorio Matteucci (Frollo), Graziano Galatone (Febo), Elhaida Dani (Esmeralda) and Camilla Rinaldi (Fiordaliso).
The tour, produced by Clemente Zard and distributed by Vivo Concerti. The Sicilian events in Messina and Palermo are promoted by Giuseppe Rapisarda Management. Since its debut in 2002, Notre Dame de Paris has conquered the Italian public, helping to strengthen the link between musical theatre, opera and popular culture. The show addresses universal themes – marginalization, the fear of others, the search for identity, justice and love – making it a timeless classic, capable of speaking to different generations.
Originally produced by David Zard, the Italian version marked a revolution in the panorama of live entertainment, surpassing the numbers of the greatest rock and pop musical lives. Translated into 9 languages, performed in 20 countries with over 5,650 performances and 13 million spectators worldwide (of which 4.5 million in Italy), the work is today a global cult. The magic of the show comes from a unique blend of languages: dance ranging from classical to breakdance, monumental scenography and songs now considered real hits even outside the theatrical context. A combination that continues to transform Notre Dame de Paris into a total, exciting and always current experience.