Philippe Casanova, Palazzo Pallavicini, 1995

We are writing the history of the performing arts in Rome

Music, theatre and dance in the palaces of the Roman aristocracy in the 17th and 18th centuries

PerformArt is a programme financed by the European Research Council, hosted by the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, in partnership with the École Française de Rome.
The project, which is coordinated by Anne-Madeleine Goulet (Centre d’études supérieures de la Renaissance de Tours), was inaugurated on 1st September 2016 and is due to be concluded on 31st August 2022.

Progetto

Project

Why the performing arts in Rome in the 17th and 18th centuries?

Research Team

We have mobilised archivists and researchers from a variety of disciplines

Programme

A variety of events will mark the project over the five years of its duration

Resources

Tools and links for additional information

International Conference “Rome crossroad of Arts between the 17th and 20th centuries”, Conservatory of Music “Santa Cecilia”, May 14-16 2024

Teresa Chirico, a member of PerformArt and professor at the Conservatory of Music "Santa Cecilia" in Rome, is part of the scientific committee of the conference "Rome crossroad of Arts between the 17th and 20th centuries", which will be held at the Conservatory May...

Publication of an essay by Michela Berti and Manuela Grillo on the PerformArt thesaurus

Publication of an essay by Michela Berti and Manuela Grillo on the PerformArt thesaurus: 'Digital tools for the study of historical performing arts: the PerformArt database and thesaurus' (Digital Humanities 10, 2021, pp. 443-450) Online essay:...

Publication of an article by José María Domínguez and Anne-Madeleine Goulet in the journal Artigrama (University of Zaragoza)

Publication of an article by José María Domínguez and Anne-Madeleine Goulet in the journal Artigrama (University of Zaragoza): “La política entre los fastos: reflexiones sobre una visita de la duquesa de Bracciano a Nápoles en 1686” (Artigrama 36, 2021, pp. 41-62)....

Release of the first CD recorded as part of the PerformArt project

Release of the first CD recorded as part of the PerformArt project by the Tiber Chapel, directed by Alexandra Nigito: L’Ombra di Solimano. Cantatas for Bass and Continuo (Pasquini). With Lisandro Abadie (bass) and Alexandra Nigito (harpsichord). To listen to excerpts:...

Publication of several articles by PerformArt members in a book edited by Silvia Tatti

Publication of several articles by PerformArt members in the book edited by Silvia Tatti: La diplomazia delle lettere nella Roma dei papi dalla seconda metà dei seicento alla fine dell’antico regime (Rome, Edizioni di storia e letteratura, 2022). Articles by Michela...

Publication of the 1st book of the PerformArt project

Publication of Spectacles et performances artistiques à Rome (1644-1740) : Une analyse historique à partir des archives des familles aristocratiques, ed. by Anne-Madeleine Goulet, José María Domínguez and Élodie Oriol (Rome, Publications de l’École française de Rome,...

19-20 March 2020: Marco Cavietti will attend the Workshop “Entailing Perpetuity. Corporate endowments in late medieval and early modern Europe”

19-20 March 2020: Marco Cavietti will attend the Workshop "Entailing Perpetuity. Corporate endowments in late medieval and early modern Europe. Family strategies and archival practices" (organized by Maria Lurdes de Rosa, Randolph C. Head and Vanessa Wilkie), which...

23 March 2020: Anne-Madeleine will present the PerformArt project in Paris as part of the conference cycle “The IReMus présente…”

23 March 2020: Anne-Madeleine will present the PerformArt project in Paris as part of the conference cycle "The IReMus présente...", organised by Nicolas Dufetel and Christelle Chevallier. “Pratique, mécénat et promotion des arts dans les familles aristocratiques...

26-28 February 2020: conference The Diplomacy of Letters in the Rome of the Popes from the second half of the 17th century to the end of the Old Regime

26-28 February 2020: conference The Diplomacy of Letters in the Rome of the Popes from the second half of the 17th century to the end of the Old Regime From February 26 to 28, the conference "The Diplomacy of Letters in the Rome of the Popes from the second half of...

25 October 2019: Anne-Madeleine Goulet takes part in the study day entitled «Le langage des présents. Choix, circulation et signification des présents d’apparat à l’époque moderne (XVIe-XVIIIe siècle)»

October 25, 2019: Anne-Madeleine Goulet participates in the study day organized by Maelig Chauvin and Johannes Schwabe: «Le langage des présents. Choix, circulation et signification des présents d’apparat à l’époque moderne (XVIe-XVIIIe siècle)», at the INHA in Paris...

ProjectCerveteri, Palazzo Ruspoli © Franco Bruni

Rome, centre of the Christian world and capital of the Papal States, strewn with churches and religious institutions, was also, in the 17th and 18th centuries, the scene of intense conflicts and rivalries between some twenty leading aristocratic families, highly adept at organising musical, theatrical and choreographic performances to display their political sympathies. The artistic life that animated the palaces and country villas of this elite has been far less studied than that of the papal court, the grand theatres or the principal churches of Rome.

The PerformArt project aims to enrich our understanding of the history of performing arts among the Roman nobility between 1644 and 1740 by exploiting the abundant documentation contained in the archives of eleven leading aristocratic families. For the first time, PerformArt will bring together specialised archivists and historians, all expert in different aspects of this micro-society, in a systematic collaboration between the history of the performing arts, choreographic studies, and art, music, social, and economic history.

This collaboration will unearth primary sources in order to explain the social and artistic practices of Roman families, the motivations and conditions of patronage, the concrete structuring of artistic output as well the status of artists and their degree of dependence on their protectors. All this will be made possible through a relational database.

Consequently, we shall be able to clarify the extent of the political impact of the involvement of these families in the artistic life of Rome, both locally and on an international scale.

Research TeamBracciano, castello Orsini-Odescalchi © Franco Bruni

In order to achieve the objectives the project has set out it is necessary to count on a motivated, prepared and reliable team. Twenty-three researchers and archivists are devoting themselves to the study of family archives, contributing to collective research through their individual expertise.

In addition, the research activity is supported by a team of technical and administrative staff.

ProgrammeFrascati, Villa Aldobrandini © Franco Bruni

The project will last for five years (2016-2021). Discover our regularly updated calendar of study events, as well as the venues where we carry out our research.

ResourcesBagnaia, Villa Lante © Franco Bruni

For further information: A comprehensive bibliography, which will be updated through the contributions of our team, and links to the websites of our partner institutions – institutes, research centres, archives…

European Commission
European Research Council
CNRS
Ecole Française de Rome
Centre d'études supérieurs de la renaissance
Universite Francois Rabelais
Ministère de la culture