In Italy, the theatre is an expression of provincial townships that consider themselves to be capitals and as such wish to create permanent centres of cultural consumption. A thousand theatres in a thousand cities that all intend to stake a claim to their own identity and independence. The cost of this independence is a widespread dependence on public funds and a dispersion of production whereby even important shows are confined to local circuits.
Let's take the Emilia region as an example. In 1993, in Emilia Romagna, turnover in the cultural sector amounted to about 172 billion lire. Of this sum, about 100 billion was provided by state, regional, or local bodies; 42 billion was spent by the public; proceeds from tours in Italy and abroad brought in 16 billion lire; while another 15 came from sponsors and other sources.
Emilia has an Ente Autonomo (an independent local organization) based in Bologna, six historic theatres (Parma, Piacenza, Modena, Reggio, Ferrara, and Ravenna), another ninety theatre venues, a public production centre and two private centres for the production of straight theatre, five youth theatre production centres, and a research centre.
And all for the benefit of a population of four million people. It is clear that all this represents a structure that has no peer in France, England, or Germany. But the comparison does not stand up even when we contrast the Emilian facilities with those of the great European capitals: London and Paris, whose metropolitan populations are three times greater than that of the entire population of Emilia Romagna, nevertheless cannot match the number of venues, especially those devoted to opera and ballet, located in this region.
The real alternative is to consider the entire production of local theatres as a regional stage capable of mounting a variety of events aimed at different sections of the public: not merely a local or national, but also an international public that can enjoy extraordinary cultural events in Emilia as easily as in London, Paris, Salzburg, or Avignon.
Nonetheless, these "major events" are acceptable only if they succeed in permanently attracting renowned celebrities to Italian cities thus helping to encourage the growth of the region's cultural offerings and, at the same time, society itself - as has been the case, for example, with Ferrara and the Consorzio Ferrara Musica.
All this could be facilitated by the transformation of the various local bodies into a sole urban area, with autonomous but interconnected bodies that remain distinct cultural institutions - because they spring from local history - even once united in a single network.
Transforming fragmentation into multiplicity is the way to ensure the growth of a country that is running the insane risk of dispersing its own traditions and hopes in a thousand separate rivulets that will never converge.