Research and projects

All Strings Attached: The Pioneers of European Puppetry Behind the Scenes

November, 01, 2015

There are many puppet stories that are still hidden in musty attics or abandoned chests. They have a hard time finding their way out of museum archives.

The objective of the project, which is a joint collaboration by the Ljubljana Puppet Theatre and the Municipality Cividale, the Spanish theatre troupe Etcetera and the Academy of Arts in Osijek, is to bring out the forgotten stories of great puppet masters and introduce them to a wider audience.

The institutions involved boast valuable collections by famous puppeteers all of whom made a great mark on the development of puppetry in their respective countries in the first half of the 20th century. The project which is aptly called All Strings Attached: Pioneers Of European Puppetry Behind the Scenes (EUPUPTS) was conceived as an overall travelling work of art. It puts the spotlight on the Miniature Puppets Theatre of Milan Klemenčič, who was the father of Slovenian puppetry; the marionette theatre I Piccoli di Podrecca of Vittorio Podrecca (1883–1959), whose vaudeville and operatic programme had a far-reaching influence on European puppetry art; and the work of Hermenegildo Lanz who, along with composer Manuel de Falla and poet Federico Garcia Lorca, is thought of as the founder of the Spanish puppet theatre.

The first part of the project will tackle the research and conservation and restoration of relatively poorly preserved puppets, and facilitate knowledge exchange in terms of safeguarding the legacy of puppetry. The second part of the project will see us showcase the achievements of the puppet masters comprehensively – with a series of puppet exhibits, revived puppettheque performances and target workshops to accompany selected European festivals of puppetry art.

More: All Strings Attached