Un teatro, molte vite. Il Teatro Farnese di Parma dalla ricerca all'esperienza immersiva

The Farnese Theatre in Parma represents a significant case for investigating the relationship between digital representation, knowledge construction and cultural heritage enhancement. Built in the early seventeenth century, largely destroyed during the Second World War and subsequently reconstructed, the monument preserves its architectural form despite having lost a substantial part of its original decorative apparatus. Starting from this condition, the paper presents a research process aimed at reconstructing the theatre’s historical identity through the integration of survey data and documentary, material and iconographic sources. The collected information progressively converged into a digital three-dimensional model conceived not merely as a geometric representation of the monument, but as a synthesis of the knowledge acquired through the research process. Particular attention is devoted to the role assumed by the model in the development of a permanent video mapping installation created within the theatre. The contribution analyses the relationship between scientific research and artistic production, highlighting how the model supported both the reconstruction of the lost decorative apparatus and its translation into an immersive experience accessible to the public. The case study offers an opportunity to reflect on digital representation as a form of mediation between research, communication and heritage enhancement, highlighting how immersive environments can support new forms of access to cultural contents and historical interpretation.