Giacinto Battaglia uomo di teatro (1827-1848)

Abstract

The paper focuses on the Giacinto Battaglia’s eclectic personality and on his activity in the theatrical system of Milan in the early 19th century. Through archive documents and several articles from theatrical journals (especially from «Il Barbiere di Siviglia» and «Il Figaro» edited by Battaglia), this essay offers a full portrait of this journalist, playwright, essayist, manager, in order to show he was an effective promoter of a new idea of drama and a new concept of spectacle. He always worked keeping in touch with professional companies and wrote many characters for the most interesting actors of that time, such as Carlotta Marchionni and Luigi Vestri. He was inspired by Gustavo Modena example to create in Italy a new model of theatrical company that would be the future Drammatica Compagnia Lombarda.