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The Italian melodrama at the theatre San Giacomo in Corfu (1733-1798).

• Μαυρομούστακος, Πλάτων

The article deals with theatre activity in the Island of Corfu during the last century of the Venetian rule. During the 18th century the Corfiots developped special interest in Italian opera. The interest for melodrama made its dazzling beggining already in 1733, date in which the Theatre of San Giacomo started its activity. Tracing the information o f theatre activity on the island throughout the Venetian rule and the concrete circumstances under which the theatre was opened the article situates the whole cultural activity in the social life belonging to the Ionian Islands and especially to Corfu. Through a research which is now completed in the archives of Corfu and Venice new evidence is brought on the repertory of the communal theatre of San Giacomo. About ninety performances of ≪opera per musica≫, unknown untili now, are in v e n to rie d bringing concrete information on troupes and the type of the plays represented on the eorfiot scene. Special interest is put on the first performance of an Italian opera on a Greek land. Cerone di Tiranno di Syracusa by A. Aurelli in 1733, the first performances on Greek land of plays by Pietro Chiari: Matrimonio per Inganno in 1771, Carlo Goldoni: La Conversazione in 1773. Pietro Metastasio: Alessandro nell’ Indie in 1796. Reference is also done to important musicians such as Pasquale Anfossi or Domenico Cimarosa and the important impact which belongs to this theatre in creating an important tradition of opera performances in the island untili the end of the Venetian rule in 1798. The San Giacomo Theatre is the sole example of a greek theatre whose life starts at the 18th century and continues untili the end of the 19th century dedicated to performing Italian opera.

• Arts

• Θέατρο

Ιταλικό μελόδραμα, Σαν Τζιάκομο, Κέρκυρα