Above the bay of the Conca d’Oro, on the elegant, pilastered terraces of Villa Igiea, sunset is a ritual benediction, attended by Palermo society and guests of the hotel. The sun, a Communion wafer, dips into the wine-dark sea.
Dusk draws intense scent notes from the cypresses while a soprano sings a Donizetti hymn at the bar. In the nighttime spotlight, the silhouette of the Greco-Roman temple lengthens, and the Villa Igiea becomes a theater, animated by the choreographed flow of waiters. Stage left, an international wedding party applauds the rock-star chef, Fulvio Pierangelini, as he bows his shaggy head to crack open the baked salt crust of the branzino. The release of herb-scented steam from the noble fish is like the first act.
