Reconstructing the Stage at La Salle des Machines in Les Tuileries for 'La Grande Tragédie d'Hercule Amoureux et le ballet royal dansé par leurs Maiestés entre les actes' (Cavalli-Lully, 1662) and 'Psyché, tragédie-ballet' (Molière-Lully, 1671)

The stage of this royal hall has never been the subject of an in-depth study. Our research has enabled us to identify in the royal archives several dated and datable floorplans of the scenic devices for these two major works in the history of spectacles in France. A significant cross-checking of data and dimensioned plans enabled us to produce a 3D reconstruction prototype for the entire hall and stage. This experimental work would, we hope, make it possible to review the accepted analyses regarding the qualities and defects of the Salle des Machines, to better understand the major evolution between Hercule and Psyché, between the stage architects Gaspare Vigarani and Carlo Vigarani, and eventually to better understand the treatment of space in the many ballet interludes that gave the two ballets their full scope. For researchers and performers in baroque dance, this virtual model would make it possible to test various hypotheses. It will be possible, outside the time frame of the communications, for the participants of the symposium, to have access individually to demonstrations of our restitution by virtual immersion headset. We hope the communication and workshop will open space for sharing, discussion, and future developments. 

Dominique Lauvernier studied classic literature and then in 2018 defended his doctorate on Stages at the Court of France, 1659-1792, at the Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes - PSL University, Paris. He was assigned in 2003 to the University of Caen Normandy in Theatre Studies and qualified by CNU section 22 in 2019 for Teacher-researcher employment, History, History of Art, Scenic arts and Music. His research, communications and publications have focused for many years on the archives of the Court of France, the remains of Court theatres in Europe and building a protocol for 3D reconstruction of theatres int he Baroque era. He also practises classical Indian dances (Bharatanatyam and Odissi) and as a second field of research, works on biographies of Indian dancers and analysis of sculptural sources.