Laura Pernice

Laura Pernice is a Researcher in Performing Arts at the Department of Humanities, University of Catania, where she teaches History of Theater and Entertainment, Performing Arts and New Media, and Forms of Multimedia Performance in the L-20 and LM-65 degree programs. She holds a PhD in Cultural Heritage and Production Sciences from the University of Catania and has obtained the National Scientific Qualification for Associate Professor in the sector 10/C1 (Theater, Music, Cinema, Television and Audiovisual Media).

Her research focuses on interdisciplinary approaches at the intersection of theater studies and digital media. Key areas include multimedia performance, intermediality, contemporary Italian theater, and the integration of new technologies in opera and theatrical production.

The recent publications and research projects indicate a strong trend in digital transformation in performing arts, especially in opera remediation, transmedia strategies, and social media use in theater. Her work explores how technology reshapes audience engagement and performance aesthetics.

She has supervised multiple theses on topics such as streaming opera, digital dramaturgy, and transmedia musicals, reflecting her engagement with contemporary performance forms. Research grants and projects include the national 'Living Cabiria' (PNRR), the VIRTUA(*)RT project (Pia.ce.ri. 2024–2026), and prior involvement in the ARIE and PuppetPlays projects.

Laura Pernice is a member of the research group for:

• VIRTUA(*)RT – Virtual Rooms for Arts (2024–ongoing)
• Living Cabiria – PNRR Spoke 2: Creativity and Intangible Cultural Heritage (2023–ongoing)
• ARIE – Audience, Remediation, Iconography, Environment in Contemporary Opera (2021–2023)
• PuppetPlays – ERC Advanced Grant (2019)

She has also served on the editorial board of Arabeschi. International Journal of Studies on Literature and Visuality since 2015.