The subject of this research is the acoustic properties of ancient theatres, focusing on their contemporary use and the effect of scenery design. Performance style, material use and influence of architectural characteristics and evolution on acoustics are of interest. Generic scenery designs are investigated and guidelines for architects and scenery designers are provided. This dissertation is organised in twelve chapters. Chapter 1 is the introduction. The literature review is presented in Part 1. Chapter 2 examines the theory of sound in antiquity and today, currently used acoustic indices and commonly used acoustic software. Chapter 3 describes ancient performance spaces, in terms of layout, and forms of drama. Chapter 4 focuses on: stage building in antiquity, revival of ancient drama and scenery design categorisation. Part 2, the methodology, contains Chapters 5 and 6. The former examines appropriate parameters for acoustic software use, on-site measurements, absorption coefficient measurements and subjective evaluation. Chapter 6 investigates the phenomena of diffraction in ancient theatres, which can be accurately calculated by applying appropriate scattering coefficients. Part 3 presents the main analysis in four chapters. Chapter 7 examines theatre evolution in antiquity, revealing that the acoustic environment improved. Chapter 8 compares measurements, simulation and subjective evaluation for Epidaurus, Knossos and Philippi, and presents absorption coefficient measurements for porous stone. Chapters 9 and 10 acoustically investigate Mieza, Philippi and Dion in terms of ancienVpresent condition and restoration proposals with purposely-built stage enclosures, and effects of generic scenery categories respectively. Chapter 11 offers guidelines for ancient theatre and scenery design use, with applications to contemporary open-air theatres. Finally, Chapter 12 presents this study's conclusions, contribution to knowledge and further work. This study introduced and acoustically examined early theatre forms, emphasised on the acoustic improvements in theatre evolution, and demonstrated the usefulness of stage buildings/enclosures and scenery.

Μια μελέτη για το θεατρικό συγκρότημα του Πομπήιου στη Ρώμη. Το οικοδόμημα έπαιξε σημαντικό ρόλο στη διαμόρφωση των χαρακτηριστικών του δυτικού θεατρικού χώρου μέχρι και τη σύγχρονη εποχή. Παρότι πολύ λίγα απομένουν από αυτό το σπουδαίο έργο, δεν μπορούμε να αγνοήσουμε την ιστορία του, αν θέλουμε να κατανοήσουμε τον αντίκτυπο που είχε στην θεατρική αρχιτεκτονική. / A study on the theatre-complex of Pompey in Rome.

L’architecture théâtrale en France de la Révolution au Second Empire :théorie, innovation, réglementation, réalisationsA l’avènement de la Révolution, la France connait en termes d’architecture théâtrale une période particulièrement foisonnante. L’impulsion donnée sous Louis XV au théâtre porte ses fruits et la société manifeste pendant les dernières décennies du XVIIIe siècle, et ce malgré l’opposition de l’église, un engouement prononcé pour le spectacle, appelé plus tard théâtromanie. Tout au long du XIXe siècle, le théâtre occupe une place privilégiée dans la vie culturelle et sociale de la France. L’édifice théâtral sert alors à cristalliser les aspirations des différents publics qui le fréquentent et fait l’objet de multiples réflexions, aussi bien du point de vue théorique que dans le domaine de l’innovation. Etant parmi les rares bâtiments civils à accueillir un public aussi nombreux et diversifié, il devient également un lieu privilégié d’expérimentation, en termes de salubrité et de systèmes techniques.Les nuisances qui accompagnent son implantation dans la ville et les multiples incendies qui détruisent différents théâtres à travers l’Europe conduisent aux instances au pouvoir à réglementer, de plus en plus, le fonctionnement des théâtres jusqu’à émettre des préconisations qui ont à trait à la configuration même de son cadre bâti.Ainsi, l’architecture théâtrale de la première moitié du XIXe siècle revêt plusieurs facettes qu’il était nécessaire d’explorer afin de comprendre ce qui contribue à modeler l’image du théâtre « à la française » dont l’Opéra de Paris devient le plus haut représentant en France comme à l’international. / Theatre architecture in France fromFrench Revolution to Second Empiretheory, innovation, legislation, constructionAt the dawn of the Revolution, a vague of theatrical constructions embraces France. The impulse which had been given under Louis XV to theatres bear now fruit. Furthermore, despite the opposition of the Church, the French society expresses a real enthusiasm for spectacles that one will later call “theatremania”. During the whole nineteenth century, theatres occupy a privileged position in the cultural and social life in France. The theatrical buildings contribute to crystallize the ambitions of the attended public. By consequence, theatres are an object of thinking, weather it is on the level of architectural theory, or on the level of innovation. Representing a typology of public buildings which host a very numerous and a very diversified public, the theatre becomes a privileged space of experimentation, in terms of public health as well as in terms of techniques. The noise pollution which accompanies its integration within the city, and the numerous fires that destroy a lot of theatres across Europe, lead the public administration to regulate more and more the functioning of theatres, to a point that these new regulations have an enormous impact on the architectural development of theatres.In this context, the theatrical architecture of the first half of nineteenth century takes several aspects which this work explores in order to illuminate the rise of the so-called theatre « à la française », of which Garnier’s Opéra de Paris will become the most prominent example.