The Classical Theater and its Material Culture: the Case of Lipari's Mask

The investigation of classical theater, during the Magna Graecia and Roman's age, is a topic widely known and examined under many points of view. That which still turns out to be inadequate, it's the relationship of theatrical spaces with the whole aspect of the theater art, the intangible heritage under the architectonical and landscape profile, and also what is intangible for the history, transformations and projections towards the development of the modern theater and perspectives of new possible innovations. The complex system of theater, composed by decorative sculptural groups that formed the frons scenae, the periaktos, the scenic machines and the masks, of which only fragments and tracks remain, today not contextualized in museum set-up or antiquaria represents a kind of “archeology of the show’s machine”. In this context, we want to underline how the project of safeguard and valorization of the historic equipment can raise the evocative strength of the theatrical architecture, enriching the path of visit and making it even more usable and clear.