Scenografia

Scenography, from the Italian scenografia, is the art and practice of designing and coordinating the visual and spatial aspects of a performance. It encompasses the creation of the stage environment, including sets, costumes, lighting, sound, projection, and the integration of architectural space and stage machinery to support the director's concept and the narrative.

In theatre, scenography aims to establish time, place, mood, and action. It combines set design and lighting design, often in collaboration with costume and sound design. The role may be performed by a scenographer or a production designer, depending on the venue.

History: early forms used painted flats and static backdrops; during the late 19th and 20th centuries, designers like Adolphe Appia and Edward Gordon Craig promoted three-dimensional stages and the integration of lighting as a design element. In contemporary practice, scenography increasingly uses projection, digital media, and flexible stages.

Film and television: the analogous discipline is production design, led by a production designer who oversees art direction, set construction, props, and color schemes to realize the director’s vision. Scenography in opera and dance shares the same core aims.

Techniques and tools: maquettes, internal drawing, computer-aided design (CAD), 3D modeling, projection mapping, LED panels, and virtual production methods. Education often combines theatre studies with design, sculpture, and architecture.