RepertoryRepertoire

RepertoryRepertoire is a term used in performing arts data management to describe an integrated cataloging concept that synthesizes the ideas of repertory and repertoire. It refers to a unified approach for organizing the stock of works a company can stage (repertory) alongside the set of works an artist or ensemble maintains for performance (repertoire). The concept is often implemented as a data model or database schema intended to support planning, research, licensing, and preservation across institutions.

Core ideas center on creating authoritative records for works that can be linked to multiple performances, productions, seasons, and licensing events. Metadata typically covers title, author, source material, original language, adaptations, duration, rights status, performance history, production notes, and relationships to related works. A RepertoryRepertoire model emphasizes versioning and provenance, enabling users to trace when and how a work appeared in various contexts.

Typical structural elements include entities such as Work, Version, Production, Season, Company, Rights, and Venue, with links among them to reflect relationships among a work and its performances. This structure supports queries like identifying all Shakespeare plays in a given company’s repertory across multiple seasons or tracking rights and licensing for a specific production.

Applications span theatre archives, university libraries, performing-arts centers, and digital preservation projects. While the term is not tied to a single standardized specification, it is often discussed in relation to metadata standards and interoperability initiatives that govern theatre data and rights management.

See also: repertory, repertoire, theatre data standards, metadata for performing arts, rights management.