SACRA RAPPRESENTAZIONE

(Italian: holy performance), in theatre, 15th-century Italian ecclesiastical drama similar to the mystery plays of France and England and the auto sacramental of Spain. Originating and flourishing in Florence, these religious dramas represented scenes from the Old and New Testaments, from pious legends, and from the lives of the saints. The plays were didactic, using dialogues drawn from the sacred Scriptures to instruct the audience in lessons of good conduct by dramatizing the punishment of vice and the reward of virtue. The origin of the sacra rappresentazione can be traced to the Middle Ages, when the Italian theatre was inextricably linked to the Roman Catholic Church. The liturgical dramas were performed by priests as part of the worship service, and, unlike later rappresentazioni, were in Latin, not vernacular. The sacra rappresentazione also drew inspiration from sacred chants of the 13th century and from the Florentine festivals, which were more spectacle than drama. Although rappresentazioni were performed throughout Italy, the sacra rappresentazione of Florence was the only truly theatrical genre. The others were pantomimed, with only a few spoken words of explanation. See also mystery play.