Orazio Costa
Orazio Costa was an Italian theatre pedagogist and director.
Born Orazio Costa Giovangigli in Rome, Costa graduated at the National Academy of Dramatic Art in 1937, and after being assistant director of Jacques Copeau, in 1945 he started a long career as theatre director. He directed over 170 stage works. He founded and directed from 1948 to 1954 the Piccolo Teatro of the City of Rome.
Devoted to pedagogy, Costa was a teacher of acting and directing at the National Academy of Dramatic Art, now "Silvio d’Amico", from 1944 to 1976. He then moved to Florence, where he collaborated with the Teatro della Pergola and further developed his educational system founding in 1979 the "Centro di avviamento all'espressione", which is still active under the umbrella of the educational activities of Teatro della Toscana, one of the most important Italian National Theatres. In 1996 Costa was honored with the title of Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic.
