In January 2010, the library of il Funaro Cultural Center of Pistoia (Italy) was enriched with the precious donation of the Andres Neumann’s Archive and Legacy including his professional archives as well as his theatrical library of books, posters and videos.
The Archive is one of the most important collections of documentary heritage concerning the history of Performing Arts worldwide during the last forty years, including the history of Andres Neumann International, an agency that since 1978 has been an essential reference point for cutting edge international artists such as Peter Brook, Tadeusz Kantor, Dario Fo, Vittorio Gassman, Marcello Mastroianni, Ingmar Bergman, Pina Bausch, Luca Ronconi, Andrzej Wajda, Robert Wilson and the Living Theatre, and which has brought to life memorable productions such as Peter Brook’s The Mahabharata, Ingmar Bergman’s Hamlet, and Pina Bausch’s Palermo Palermo.
The Archive consists of a complex range of document types, containing about 75.000 single pieces, broken down among contracts, correspondence with major personalities of the international stage, portfolios, set designs, photos, press reviews, flyers, theatre programs and posters, as well as a selection of audio-visual material.
The documents bear witness of a lifetime activity, and offer an accurate view of the work of many of 20th century Masters of the Performing Arts.
These documents are now available to those who wish to make use of them for passion, study, or work.
Giada Petrone, who has curated the first reorganisation of the documents, has inaugurated the process of recognition of the value of the Andres Neumann Foundation. The task of analysing, digitizing and cataloguing the assets has been running since 2012 with the support of University of Florence
In 2012 a full course of studies of the archive was obtained from the digitization, cataloguing and analysis of a selection of documents.
The job was carried out within the project called “Memorie digitali dello spettacolo contemporaneo in Toscana (1970-2010): l’Archivio Andres Neumann” directed by Prof.Renzo Guardenti of the Department of History, Archaeology, Geography, Art and Performing Arts (SAGAS) at the University of Studies in Florence. The project has been co-financed by the University of Studies in Florence, the Cassa di Risparmio di Pistoia and Pescia Foundation and by the Funaro Cultural Center of Pistoia.
In 2013 the SAGAS Department has also financed the publication of the volume L’Archivio Andres Neumann. Memorie dello spettacolo contemporaneo by Maria Fedi with a presentation by Renzo Guardenti and a commentary by Giada Petrone.
In 2014 the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities and Tourism (MIBACT) declared the Theatrical Archive of Andres Neumann to be “of particularly important historical interest”.
Between 2016 and 2018 Andres Neumann’s archive obtained several benefits from the support of both the Soprintendenza Archivistica e Bibliografica della Toscana and the Regione Toscana within the official accord regarding the valorization of the archival patrimony, the coordination of the interventions and the safeguard of Archives and Libraries.
Thanks to this support, the inventory of the Archive has been achieived by Prof. Andrea Otanelli, an official website has been created, and all of the photographic assets have been digitized.
Besides these, two other works have been realized inspired by the Archive: in 2017 the Docufilm Pina Bausch in Rome (directed by Graziano Graziani) and in 2018 the live-stage performance L’Archivio dal vivo: Palermo Palermo. L’artista, la città. L’Archivio Andres Neumann racconta Pina Bausch (idea, direction and interpretation by Massimiliano Barbini).
The Andres Neumann Theatrical Archive is accessible at the center and online, as well, at the following website:
www.archivioteatraleandresneumann.org
Andres Neumann: Producer of the Archive.
Massimiliano Barbini: Responsible of il Funaro Cultural Center Library and Documentation.
Giada Petrone: Responsible for Andres Neumann’s Archive and Legacy.
ANDRES NEUMANN’S THEATRICAL ARCHIVE:
DEVELOPMENT & PROMOTIONAL ACTIVITIES 2009/18
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FIRST ARRANGEMENT
The First Arrengement of the entire Archive was curated by Giada Petrone (2009).
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EXHIBITIONS
• From the Andres Neumann Theater Archive: Stills from Contemporary Theater (il Funaro Centro Culturale, curated by Renzo Guardenti and Maria Fedi, Pistoia, 21 and 23 October 2011).
• ‘La Tragédie de Carmen’ by Peter Brook: Tales of a legendary staging.
Exhibition of items from the Andres Neumann Theater Archive related to Peter Brook’s ‘La Tragédie de Carmen’, (Enrico Caruso Museum, Villa Bellosguardo, Lastra a Signa, Florence, March 13th and 20th, 2015).
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PUBLISHING
• Exhibition Catalog
From the Archive of Andres Neumann: Scenes from the Contemporary Theater.
Curated by Renzo Guardenti, Maria Fedi (edited by) il Funaro Cultural Center, Pistoia, 2011.
• Book
The Andres Neumann Archive: Memories of Contemporary Performance, by Maria Fedi, introduction by Renzo Guardenti, and a note by Giada Petrone, (Titivillus, 240 pages, Corazzano, Pisa, 2013).
• Inventory
Inventory of the Andres Neumann Theater Archive.
Curated by Andrea Ottanelli (edited by) il Funaro Cultural Center, Pistoia, 2016.
(This project was made possible by the support of the Archival and Bibliographic State Agency of Tuscany, and the Tuscan Region, in the frame of the Agreement for the enhancement of archival heritage, the coordination of interventions and protection of Archives and Libraries).
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STAGINGS
• ‘La Tragédie de Carmen’: Tales of a legendary staging.
Idea, direction and performed by Massimiliano Barbini.
This event was organized in cooperation with the Enrico Caruso Museum (Villa Bellosguardo, Lastra a Signa), and the Luigi Cherubini Conservatory of Florence (March 2015)
• The Living Archive: Palermo Palermo by Pina Bausch. The artist, the city. (The Andres Neumann Archive tells a story about Pina Bausch)
Idea, direction and performed by Massimiliano Barbini and Gennaro Scarpato, with the help of the Luigi Tronci Foundation (Pistoia), and the Luigi Cherubini Conservatory (Florence).
(First performance: Cinema of the Company, Florence, 31 May 2018)
(This project was made possible thanks to the support of the Archival and Bibliographic State Agency of Tuscany, and the Tuscan Region, in the frame of the Agreement for the enhancement of archival heritage, the coordination of interventions and protection of Archives and Libraries)
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DOCUFILM
‘Pina Bausch in Rome’
Directed by Graziano Graziani (2017)
Production: Riccione Teatro and Andres Neumann.
(This documentary was made possible thanks to the support of the Archival and Bibliographic State Agency of Tuscany, and the Tuscany Region, in the frame of the Agreement for the enhancement of archival heritage, the coordination of interventions and protection of Archives and Libraries).
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DIGITISATION & SCAN
• Digitisation of the entire corpus of theatrical posters present in the Archive (il Funaro Cultural Center, 2011).
• Digitisation of the photographic corpus present in the Archive, and part of the documents studied in the frame of a project curated by the Department of History, Archeology, Geography, Arts & Performance of the University of Florence under the direction of Prof. Renzo Guardenti: ‘Digital memories of the contemporary performance in Tuscany 1970-2010: the Andres Neumann Archive’ (2012)
• Digitisation of Andres Neumann’s private and professional photographic fund of about 13k images held on different media: paper, slides, negatives, digital (Web Digitale, Rome, under the coordination of Giada Petrone, 2015)
(The Digitisation process was made possible thanks to the support of the Archival and Bibliographic State Agency of Tuscany, and the Tuscan Region, in the frame of the Agreement for the enhancement of archival heritage, the coordination of interventions and the protection of Archives and Libraries)
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INTERNET
Creation of the Archive’s official Website (Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa, SNS, coordinated by Giada Petrone, 2017):
www.archivioteatraleandresneumann.org
(The creation of the Website was made possible thanks to the support of the Archivist and Bibliographic State Agency of Tuscany and the Tuscan Region, in the frame of the Agreement for the enhancement of archival heritage, the coordination of interventions and protection of Archives and Libraries)
Producer of the Archive: Andres Neumann
Head of the Andres Neumann Theatrical Archive: Giada Petrone
Head of Il Funaro Cultural Center’s Library: Massimiliano Barbini
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ANDRES NEUMANN’S THEATRICAL ARCHIVE IN NUMBERS
The Archive is composed by 11 series, 370 archival units, 1970 files and 75.000 single items.
60 Years covered (1955-2015)
3 Sections (1960-76, 1972-2000, 2000-2015)
175 Boxes moved from Rome to Pistoia
15 Times the Archive was moved between continents, countries and cities (1972-2015)
5.000 Documents digitised
2.286 Catalog cards
149 Posters digitised
13.750 Photos digitised
15 People at work
9 Languages involved
10% Existing Archive of the total produced by Andres Neumann. The remaining part was lost.
3 Publications on the Archive
Andres Neumann Fund also consists of:
400 Books (in catalogue)
100 copies of Magazines & Reviews in different languages
350 Video Tapes in various formats, 70 digitized
500 Performance and Festival programs
