The long job of research, which consisted in the recovery and reordering of the documentary heritage of the Teatro dell’Opera, is now over, and the Archive has already become an important point of reference in the field of twentieth century musical theatre research. The enormous quantity of the materials it holds and their diversity enables the researcher to find exhaustive information about all aspects of the activities and history of the Teatro dell’Opera. The institutional duties of the Archive include safeguarding the audiovisual heritage of the Teatro, the creation and promotion of exhibitions in residence and in the seats of other institutions, guided visits to the
Teatro and the supervision of publications concerning its history.
The Historical and Audiovisual Archive holds the following catalogued materials:

• Sketches and drawings of sets and costumes

• Audience librettos

• Posters and playbills

• Audio recordings (from the 1960s)

• Video recordings (from the 1980s)

• Photographs of performances

• Autograph scores

• Curios connected with composers and artists

• Newspaper library (from 1911)

• Record Archives

• Library

Situated in Via Firenze 60, the Archive is equipped with two reading rooms, a consulting room, a room for listening to and viewing audio-video recordings, a laboratory for digitalization, and a room for the conservation of sketches and prints.
Collaboration with Italian and foreign bodies and cultural institutes has enabled the activities of the Archive to achieve wide impact; this has encouraged private citizens to make important donations (Fondo Avvocato Franco Viola, Fondo Gabriella Gatti, Fondo Demi Oganoff, Fondo Salvatore Catania, Fondo Domenico Gaido) to the growth of the already considerable patrimony of the Foundation.
Exhibitions at Teatro dell’Opera During the 2008 season the Teatro dell’Opera will be staging various exhibitions of costumes and scenery used in past productions.

• Tosca
  Camillo Parravicini, Domenico Gaido, George Abhasi, Giovanni Grandi, Piero Tosi, Marco Lodola, Angelo Urbani del Fabretto

• La fanciulla del West
  Nicola Benois, Domenico Gaido, Camillo Parravicini

• Der Rosenkavalier
  Cesare Mario Cristini

• Carmen
  Giovanni Grandi, Cipriano Efisio Oppo

• Otello
  Camillo Parravicini, Attilio Colonnello

The office is open to the public during the following hours: Monday to Friday: 9.30 AM to 13.30 PM

Recordings and videos of memorable performances staged at the Teatro dell’Opera in Rome are available on payment of a fee at the box office.
If you wish to use this service, contact the Management of Archives,
email: archivio.storico@operaroma.it
or tel. 06-48160214.