Useful databases for History Forum researchers

Find out more about the databases used by the History Forum.

Reprises is a database that includes information about opera, operetta, vaudeville, and other forms of music theatre performances in Finland. The main sources have been theatre posters, repertoire books, and newspaper.

The Reprises database is being continuously updated. The operative languages of the Reprises database are Finnish and English. The database is housed in the Sibelius Academy (the University of the Arts), and has received financial support from two research projects: 1) The Finnish Opera Company (1873–79) from a Microhistorical Perspective: Performance Practices, Multiple Narrations, and Polyphony of Voices (Academy of Finland, 2010–13); and 2) Opera on the Move: Transnational Practices and Touring Artists in the Long 19th Century (NordCorp/NOS-HS 2013–17). In addition also the Sibelius Academy and History Forum have contributed to the funding of the database.

Presently, the Reprises database covers the performances of the Finnish Opera Company (ca. 1873–79), the Russian Theatre in Helsinki (1868–71), the Swedish Theatre in Helsinki (1860–1930s), and the music theatre performances in the Åbo Svenska Teater (1839–1897). The eventual aim is to include all opera and music theatre performances that took place in Finland before the 1960 except for those given by the Finnish National Opera (Finnish National Opera performance database), including also appearances made by visiting theatre troupes in Finnish cities.