Il teatro tragico della compagnia Imer (1732-1749)

From 1732 to 1749, the contribution of San Samuele acting company to the diffusion of tragedy was greater than that of every other troupe. Free from any tie or agreement with contemporary intellectuals and with the only purpose of pleasing their own public, Giuseppe Imer and Gaetano Casali staged numerous serious plays from different authors and genres: from Carlo Goldoni’s «opere sceniche» to translations of French tragedies, from works of classicist playwrights to those of their opponents, and finally, adaptations of librettos. The Grimani’s company, which always included excellent actors, staged impressive shows constantly balancing dreadful imageries and comic scenes. In this manner, differently from eminent predecessors of tragic scene such as Luigi Riccoboni, Pompilio Miti and Scipione Maffei, it succeeded in developing and consolidating a taste for tragic drama in Venice and beyond.