MUSEO DELLA PASSIONE DI SORDEVOLO

Inaugurated in 2005 and set up permanently in the Choir and Sacristy of the 17th-century Church of S. Marta, this museum narrates the theatrical, historical, anthropological, cultural and the profound aspect of popular tradition linked to the Passion Play of Sordevolo that has been performed in this small Piedmontese village since 1816. A primary instrument for the promotion of the "Passion Event", it can always be visited even in the years when the performance is not performed (the performances, in fact, take place every five years and bring more than thirty thousand spectators to Sordevolo).In the two exhibition halls, 8 thematic corners delve into the following aspects: the Scenography, the history of the Passion Play, all the moments of the performance, the work of the volunteers (technicians, tailors, actors, directors, service workers), the Children's Passion, the costumes, artefacts and documents that tell the story of the centuries-old Sordevolo tradition that has been handed down from father to son and that unites all the inhabitants. More than 300 photographs on display, 7 films that can be viewed, including the most important ones dating back to the 1924 and 1934 editions of the Passion Play, and 2 multimedia supports, all accompanied by titles and captions in Italian and English. The collections are also enriched with new digital content, the result of the research project entitled Digital historical scenic design, carried out in collaboration with the Department of Architecture and Design (DAD) of the Turin Polytechnic. The use of digital technologies has allowed the re-elaboration of the documentary heritage (photographs, sketches, drawings, videos), making it possible to virtually recreate part of the experience of the Passion Play staged in 1934 and 1950. The two videos, composed of three parts, present the route of the procession through the streets of the village, the animated reconstructive model, in a continuous comparison between digital restitution and period images, and the main passages of the two scripts, in an interesting combination of written texts, speech, music and evocative images. The new technologies thus prove to be useful tools for the reworking of stories related to museum collections, according to a process that allows works and cultural heritage to transmit information, knowledge and emotions.The adjacent St. Martha's Church, a visit to which is included in the museum entrance fee, is the venue for themed exhibitions and classical music concerts held every year during the summer openings.