Oedipus and the Teatro Olimpico (Vicenza) at a crossroads

Abstract

In Italy, classical dramas have been considered for centuries more as mere texts, rather than scripts born to be performed. They may also be perceived as ‘sacred’ monuments of the past, as well as historical theatres, which need to be protected from the flow of time and its consequences. A significant example is the first documented production of a Greek Drama in modern Italy: Edipo Tiranno, at the Teatro Olimpico, Vicenza, in 1585. The building itself is an extraordinary document of self-celebration conceived by the Accademia Olimpica, who sponsored the theatre and aimed at gaining a primary role through the parenetic use of classical tragedy and mythology.

The paper retraces the complex process which led to the building, and to the inaugural performance. A difficult choice emerged regarding the type of drama that would be performed: an ancient play, or a brand-new drama? The final choice was to follow the authority of Aristotle’s Poetics, and to perform an Italian translation of Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex. The chronicles of the performance reveal a conservative approach which encapsulates the aims of the Accademia. Moreover, a few relevant issues of this casestudy may be found in the history of Italian classical reception. Recently, the latest two seasons of the Teatro Olimpico (2024–2025) marked a turning point, as shown in the final part of the paper.