Light and Colour at the Theatre in Paolo Bini's Works for Francesco De Gregori

Abstract

In March 2019, the Italian singer-songwriter Francesco De Gregori sang at the Teatro Garbatella in Rome in front of an audience of 230 spectators, according to a choice that has privileged aspects of intimacy and listening. This stage offered the artist Paolo Bini an experimental place for the study of an original and unusual set design. In fact, the environment work Cromatismo emozionale in ritmo variabile (Emotional Chromatism in Variable Rhythm), enhanced the involvement of the spectators and free expression of emotions, using bright and iridescent colours.

This contribution is an evidence of how contemporary art - exploiting certain technical rules of theatre performance, through the colour that interacts with light - has cooperated in theatrical communication by enhancing music and sound. More and more in recent years, the sets of concerts are a meeting place between various forms of art and techniques, between music and visual art and where set designers have more and more space to express themselves by appealing to the use of technology. In this case, Bini has not resorted to any technological support, simply leaving to the work/backdrop of a stage the task of creating dynamism to the entire show. Finally, aspects related to the artist's research were also highlighted, placing him in continuity with the history of art and the abstract poetics of the twentieth century.