Watch: Sicilian Opera Performance Goes On as Etna Erupts in Background

Audiences at the ancient theater in the Sicilian resort town of Taormina were treated to a rare sight this past Friday as they took in a performance of Giuseppe Verdi’s Nabucco while Mount Etna erupted in the background.

Etna is the largest active volcano in Italy and about 30 miles southwest of the town. You can see video of the performance taken by an audience member here.

The production is a collaboration between the Coro Lirico Siciliano and the Taormina Foundation for the Festival Lirico dei Teatri di Pietra. Maestro Salvador Vázquez lead the Festival Symphony Orchestra and the Catania Philharmonic in a staging from director Salvo Dolce that integrated Italian Sign Language. Badral Chuluumbaatar played the title character opposite Elena Mosuc as Abigaille. See more video from the production here: