Theatre and Drama
This project starts from the now consolidated premise that in the history of performing arts, iconography is an indispensable source for the study of any theatrical form. Although ephemeral by nature, the performing arts do leave textual and visual traces.
The study of theatre performances is constitutionally interdisciplinary, combining various artistic languages. Since the subject of study is no longer historically available, it can be replaced by historical evidence and memories of various kinds.
Our project aims to identify, catalogue and make available part of the iconographic documents in the archives of the Cini Foundations and other collaborating institutions, in order to produce an advanced catalogue system in this research field.
In collaboration with similar projects in other Italian cities, institutions and universities, through the production of a database of over 10,000 entries, we began from the ICCD structure (a standard established by the Istituto Centrale per il Catalogo e la Documentazione), and then proceeded to introduce innovative features. In fact since there are still no national standards suitable for all the data of documents associated with the performing arts, our work is a significant attempt to tackle the issues and try out a solution through the practical implementation of a project.
Next research step The project consists of the digital cataloguing of iconographic documents: i.e. the stage designs in the Fiocco, Certani and Donghi collections and in the collections of the Correr Museum and the Teatro la Fenice Foundation, Venice; iconographic material from librettos, scores, antique books, and specialised theatre and music reviews; the collections of original photographs and visual documents from various archives – those of Eleonora Duse, Aurel Milloss, Ulderico Rolandi and Olga Resnevich Signorelli – and in the Study Centre Library.
Moreover, we also wish to continue with the research into and systematic arrangement of the iconographies associated with individual operas. This highly innovative enquiry takes the form of a study whose value added consists in finding iconographic and illustrative sources which, when put together, can be made into an independent hypertext and, as such, can be a reference aid in understanding and exploring the work in question. This research is expected to produce professional and artistic results which, by making use of the digital support, will be rich in potential developments.
Contatti: teatromelodramma@cini.it
Research activities
Theatre and Music iconographic archives
This project starts from the now consolidated premise that in the history of performing arts, iconography is an indispensable source for the study of any theatrical form. Although ephemeral by nature, the performing arts do leave textual and visual traces. The study of theatre performances is constitutionally interdisciplinary, combining various artistic languages. Since the subject of study is no longer historically available, it can be replaced by historical evidence and memories of various kinds.
Our project aims to identify, catalogue and make available part of the iconographic documents in the archives of the Cini Foundations and other collaborating institutions, in order to produce an advanced catalogue system in this research field.
In collaboration with similar projects in other Italian cities, institutions and universities, through the production of a database of over 10,000 entries, we began from the ICCD structure (a standard established by the Istituto Centrale per il Catalogo e la Documentazione), and then proceeded to introduce innovative features. In fact since there are still no national standards suitable for all the data of documents associated with the performing arts, our work is a significant attempt to tackle the issues and try out a solution through the practical implementation of a project.
Next research step The project consists of the digital cataloguing of iconographic documents: i.e. the stage designs in the Fiocco, Certani and Donghi collections and in the collections of the Correr Museum and the Teatro la Fenice Foundation, Venice; iconographic material from librettos, scores, antique books, and specialised theatre and music reviews; the collections of original photographs and visual documents from various archives – those of Eleonora Duse, Aurel Milloss, Ulderico Rolandi and Olga Resnevich Signorelli – and in the Study Centre Library.
Moreover, we also wish to continue with the research into and systematic arrangement of the iconographies associated with individual operas. This highly innovative enquiry takes the form of a study whose value added consists in finding iconographic and illustrative sources which, when put together, can be made into an independent hypertext and, as such, can be a reference aid in understanding and exploring the work in question. This research is expected to produce professional and artistic results which, by making use of the digital support, will be rich in potential developments.
Contatti: teatromelodramma@cini.it
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