One of Italy's great opera composers, Vincenzo Bellini was born in Catania in 1801. The house he grew up in has since been converted into this museum, which boasts an interesting collection of memorabilia, including original scores, photographs, pianos once played by Bellini, and the maestro's death mask.
In his short life (he died aged 34), Bellini composed 10 operas, including the famous trio: La sonnambula (The Sleepwalker), I puritani (The Puritans) and Norma , which has since been immortalised as the name of Sicily's most famous pasta dish – pasta alla Norma .
