Lo spazio interrotto. L’Olimpiade sulla scena contemporanea

Abstract

After a two-centuries absence from the stage, the Italian opera seria is back in theatre. While Handel’s titles have been the most performed works for the last years and have obtained a special place in today’s historiography, the reemergence of the musical settings for Metastasian librettos is a long and gradual process. L’Olimpiade, in all its settings and forms, is an exception and is suitable for experimentations within this genre. Through the presentation of three different productions (Galuppi for Venice, 2006; Pergolesi for Jesi, 2011; Mysliveček for Prague, 2013), this article will explore the contemporary reception of eighteenth-century opera seria, considering an aspect like the performative space as intended by stage and video direction.