Cinnabar means to gild silver and gold to objects) "the toxic properties of mercury were well known. It was dangerous to those who mined and processed cinnabar, it caused shaking, loss of sense, and death. Data suggest that mercury was retorted from cinnabar and the workers were exposed to the toxic mercury fumes." Overexposure to mercury, mercurialism, was seen as an occupational disease to the ancient Romans: "Mining in the Spanish cinnabar mines of Almadén, southwest of Madrid, was regarded as being akin to a death sentence due to the shortened life expectancy of the miners, who were slaves or convicts."
Cinnabar Theater Cinnabar Theater The Cinnabar Theater, located in Petaluma, California, is a professional non-profit theater producing opera and musical theatre, drama and a chamber music series in a 120-seat venue, under the auspices of the Cinnabar Arts Corporation. The venue is also home to the Young Repertory Theater (founded in 1983), the longest running and largest youth performing arts program in Sonoma County. The company's Music Director is Mary Chun. The theater, a 1908 schoolhouse, was purchased by Marvin Klebe (1935–1999) in 1970. Klebe converted it into a theater, which opened in 1972 as a venue to produce opera and musical