Magic Lantern Slide, photograph coloured by hand, England c.1890

Since 1975, Laura Minici Zotti, director of the Museum and also skilled “lanternist”, has spread the knowledge of Precinema throughout the world giving her magic lantern shows. She uses a bi-unial magic lantern of J.H. Steward of 1880 with 19th Century glass slides (8 x 8cm), animated by little mechanisms.

In December 2007, Laura Minici Zotti was awarded the Seal of the City of Padua, and in 2008 she received the prestigious international Jean Mitry prize at the Silent Film Festival of Pordenone for her constant cultural service and dissemination of the knowledge of Precinema.  In 2010 she recived the Premio Donna Eccelente for culture. 

Magic Lantern slide, hand-painted. England c.1860

The magic lantern and the magic lantern slides are antique originals. The Lanternist presents the show in costume with her collaborators, and ‘manoeuvres’ the lantern for about 80 minutes. The performances are commentated by a lecturer and accompanied by appropriate music.

The intention of the Magic Lantern Show is to bring to life a real Victorian evening of entertainment, recreating the lives of celebrated individuals of the past. The performance, the direction of the show and the texts are all the fruit of meticulous personal research.

In the course of her long career, Laura Minici Zotti has carried out various projections with the magic lantern; among the most celebrated are “The Life of Giacomo Casanova” (of which there is now a dvd), “Empress Sissi of Austria”, “Travels in Italy with Goethe” and “The Italian Vision of Charles Dickens”. Currently proposed is the programme of “The Great Art of Light and Shadow” which will include the best magic lantern slides of the Collection.

For more information contact Dr. Francesco Modolo.

Some presitgious places that have hosted our Magic Lantern Shows.