10/01v. r. francisco1 renaissance theatre architecture by virginia r. francisco

10/01 V. R. Francisco 1

RENAISSANCE THEATRE ARCHITECTURE

by Virginia R. Francisco


Italian Practice is Major Influence • productions began 1470• but only on special occasions• in temporary theatres


Emphasis on Scenery

• even Serlio assumes no permanent building

• a theatre burned in Ferrara 1532• but not known to be permanent


Temporary Theatres in Halls• stadium-like seating around an

orchestra• used to seat royal party• raised stage at ruler's eye level• front stage flat for actors• rear raked for scenery


Scenery Not Meant to be Changed• Serlio’s 3 scenes were to be

enough for all plays


Development of Permanent Theatres • after 1550: the Baroque Era• new concern for authority• return to orthodoxy • under growing pressure from

Protestantism


Teatro Olimpico, Vicenza

• oldest surviving permanent theatre in Europe

• built 1585 by Olympic Academy, founded 1555

• specialized in Greek dramas• formerly produced on temporary

stages


Teatro Olimpico Designed by Palladio• a member of the Olympic Academy• student of Vetruvius and of Roman

ruins


Teatro Olimpico

• in existing building• necessarily semi-elliptical seating• around a small orchestra• http://www.vicenzanews

.it/APT_PRO/MUSEI/teatro_olimpico.htm


Stage and Scenery

• rectangular stage• fixed facade with 5 openings• modified by Scamozzi• street scenes in perspective


Teatro at Sabbionetta

• designed by Scamozzi, 1588• first purpose-built theatre building• designed as one unit


The Proscenium Arch

• purpose is masking scene changes• served by downstage angle wings

and border• early proscenium arches were

temporary• oldest extant evidence is drawing• Bartolomeo Neroni, 1560


Permanent Proscenium Arches• early at Uffizi court theatre,

Florence, 1586• designed by Bartolomeo Neroni• destroyed in c. 18


Teatro Farnese at Parma

• designed by Giovani Battista Aleotti, 1618• first used 1628• first surviving theatre with permanent

proscenium arch • two more arches upstage• Auditorium Like Other Court Theatres• U-shaped stadium seating• large open orchestra


Box, Pit, and Gallery Auditoria• used in middle ages in temporary

theatres• used in London (1567), Paris

(1558), Madrid (1579) public theatres


Corrales in Spain

• Madrid, several temporary, 1570’shttp://www.coh.arizona.edu/spanish/comedia

/graphics/principe1.jpg

• Almagro, n.d., now restoredhttp://www.coh.arizona.edu/spanish/comedia

/graphics/almagro.html


Standardized by Public Opera Houses• and professional opera troupes• first public theatre, San Cassiano, Venice,

1565• Opera of SS Giovanni e Paolo, Venice, 1639• plan is first extant evidence of bpg

auditorium• five levels of galleries• first two divided into boxes• parterre


Venice Public Opera House• Box, pit, and gallery auditorium• Proscenium arch stage• Wing, drop, and border scenery• La Fenice, 1789

http://www.teatrolafenice.it/fenice/storia/frindpr.htm


Surviving Renaissance Theatres• Drottingholms Slottsteater, 1766,

Swedenhttp://www.drottningholmsteatern.dtm.se/engelsk/

eframes_index.htm

• Cesky Krumlov, Czech Republic• 1680, reconstructed and equipped

1765http://www.ckrumlov.cz/uk/zamek/5nadvori/i_bd.htm

10/01v. r. francisco1 renaissance theatre architecture by virginia r. francisco

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