A movie’s costumes tell the forgotten history behind the origins of Italian cinema

At the Palazzina di Caccia di Stupinigi, just outside Turin, a new exhibition uses cinema to tell a lesser-known story of Italian culture. Running until October 25, 2026, the Galleria di Levante is hosting “Giacomo Puccini: musica, cinema e storia”, an exhibition path that brings to light the connection between the composer from Lucca, Queen Margherita of Savoy, and the birth of the national film industry.

At the heart of the display are the original costumes designed by production and costume designer Georges Annenkov for Puccini, the film directed by Carmine Gallone in 1953 and starring Gabriele Ferzetti. 

The costumes are accompanied by archival materials, movie memorabilia, and a historic camera from the Archivio Luigi Rovere—the film’s producer and a central figure in post-war Italian cinema.

The exhibition stems from a desire to bring back attention to a little-known episode in the composer's biography. In 1880, it was indeed Queen Margherita who financially supported the young Puccini, enabling him to move from Lucca to Milan to attend the Conservatory.

This intervention contributed to shaping what would later become one of the most famous Italian composers in the world.

Curated by Alessandro Rota in collaboration with Clotilde Cattaneo, who oversaw the costume restoration, the exhibition uses movie costumes as a medium to intertwine the history of the monarchy, musical heritage, and the visual memory of the 20th century.

The cinematic reference holds a special meaning for the figure of the sovereign as well. In 1896, Queen Margherita was actually the protagonist of one of the very first films in the history of Italian cinematography, shot by Vittorio Calcina during a stay at the Villa Reale in Monza. Preserved today in the archives of the Cineteca Nazionale, this short film represents one of the oldest film testimonies produced in the country.

The exhibition also offers an opportunity to rediscover Luigi Rovere, a Turin-born producer and key player during the golden age of post-war Italian cinema. Throughout his career, he collaborated with some of the most prominent 20th-century directors, producing, among others, Lo sceicco bianco—the first feature film directed by Federico Fellini—and Pietro Germi’s Il cammino della speranza, which won the Silver Bear at the very first edition of the Berlin Film Festival.

“Giacomo Puccini: musica, cinema e storia” will remain open until October 25, 2026, and can be visited with the general admission ticket to the Palazzina di Caccia di Stupinigi.

Opening image: Märta Torén and Gabriele Ferzetti in a scene from the film Puccini, 1953