Cosmopolitan or Xenophobia. On the construction of identity in Reggio nell'Emilia's Opera House (1875-1885).

Abstract

This thesis researches the construction of identity in the post-unification era of a northern Italian village, Reggio nell'Emilia. It describes the city's political and cultural elite and their influence over what was performed in the local opera house in order to establish into what narrative they saw themselves and their city. Subsequently it delves into what opera's were performed and what some of the responses to these performances were in order to establish if these narratives were accepted by a wider audience.