"Teatro" Architectural, Performative and Acoustic Qualities of Renaissance Theatres. A Joint Research Project of Architectural History and Acoustic Sciences.

• Applicants: Professor Dr.-Ing. Christian Raabe, since 1/2014; Professor Dr. Stefan Weinzierl
• Subject Area: Architecture, Building and Construction History, Construction Research, Sustainable Building Technology ; Acoustics
• Term: from 2013 to 2019
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 237915257

The interdisciplinary project brings together the specific approaches and competences of both architectural history and acoustic sciences, aiming at a profound comparative analysis of all six Renaissance theatres preserved to the present day: i.e. the Teatri Olimpici of Vicenza (1580) and Sabbioneta (1587), the Teatro Farnese in Parma (1618), the theatre courts of the Villa Imperiale (Pesaro, 1530), the Corte Cornaro (Padua, 1524) and the Château de Maulnes (Burgundy, 1560). Based on detailed surveys and documentations, which will allow definite allocations of all stage and back-stage functions to specific spaces, the acoustic and performative qualities of these theatres will be studied, both experimentally in situ as well as by means of computer-generated virtual models.The results will lead to a better understanding of Renaissance knowledge of acoustics, as applied to 16th century theatre architecture. Furthermore, they will help to clarify the difficult relation between the empirics of practical building and the literary reception of antique acoustic theories. Thus, it is hoped, the project will substantially contribute to the study of post-antique theatre architecture and performative practice.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• Ehemaliger Antragsteller: Professor Dr.-Ing. Jan Pieper, until 1/2014