OpeRaNew. Opening Romanticism: Reimagining Romantic Drama for New Audiences

The OpeRaNew project unlocks the potential in the forgotten dramatic plays of Frances Burney (1742-1840), a talented writer from the Romantic era. It aimed to undertake critical and digital analysis of the court dramas written by Burney during her tenure at the court of King George III (1786-1791). The project, led by Professor Francesca Saggini, demonstrated the perspicacity and potential of highlighting these unpublished plays, which were neglected during the author's lifetime and remained obscure for over two centuries. Additionally, the project created a corpus of contemporary plays ranging from c.1750 to 1820 to offer textual and contextual comparison to Burney’s overlooked dramas.
Many stakeholders from academia and various organizations were involved in productive discussions, both in person and online, about exploring Romanticism and the overlooked dramatic works of Burney. Topics discussed included creativity, authorship, body politics, gender, the literary market, familial and social systems, and their impact. Additionally, the project spread through various events that created knowledge and encouraged exchange and two-way communication.
OpeRaNew has greatly contributed to the field of Burney Studies, Romanticism studies, theatre studies, and audience response. The achievement was made possible through high-impact publishing and presentations at international conferences. Findings were shared through different channels, including print, social media, and audio/visual means, which catered to academic and non-academic audiences. This new mediascape offered the opportunity to finally bring Burney’s works into the spotlight, especially during a period of significant changes in research communication and dissemination. Reviews, metrics, and published comments confirm the research results’ high quality and positive impact on science.
Findability, accessibility, interoperability, and reuse of data, consistent with the FAIR guidelines, were ensured through secure storage and curation in reputable academic repositories such as Zenodo, the University of Edinburgh Research Explorer, and the University of Tuscia Open DSpace, as well as their inclusion in other trusted websites such as those of the McGill University Burney Centre and the Centre for Data, Culture, and Society (CDCS) at the University of Edinburgh.
Future publications and events will continue this work, passing on the OpeRaNew methodology and its approach to relevant research areas. These achievements were listed as milestones and deliverable in various work packages, including WPs1, 4, 5, 6, 7. As a result of the above conversations and the project results, the OpeRaNew method is now a well-established part of the debates on Romanticism and Burney studies.
Sustained communication and dissemination activities progressively refined the objectives in view of these unplanned limitations, mitigated ensuing drawbacks, and implemented corrective actions.
Training focused on developing new skills as well as honing and enhancing previously acquired ones. Training was provided through direct guidance of the supervisor; internal and external activities suggested by the supervisor; activities organized by the host institution; participation in events and Data Skills festivals.
The lessons learned demonstrate that it is feasible and socially beneficial to reveal the potential of overlooked artwork with pressing contemporary relevance. They confirm that Open Science and Citizen Science are significant and influential in R&I activities. Therefore, the aim of engaging with the public within and beyond academic communities, as proposed in the objective "The core agenda of the action", inspired by the word "open" in the project name, has been achieved (taken from the CORDIS webpage).
Read more about this project:
- CORDIS webpage
- “‘Obscure be still the unsuccessful Muse’: Frances Burney and the Arts.” Frances Burney and the Arts. F. Saggini (ed.) Palgrave Macmillan, 2022.
- “Death and Madame. Ghosting the Doctor in Burneyland”. In M. Canani e A. E. Soccio (eds). The Language of Science in the Long Nineteenth Century, Solfanelli, 2023, pp. 33-56.
- “Frances Burney: A Houstory”. In C. Casaliggi, F. Saggini, M. van Woudenberg (eds). “Housing Romanticism.” European Romantic Review 34, 2 (2023): 223-42.
- C. Casaliggi, F. Saggini, M. van Woudenberg. “Notes from the Gatehouse. On and Around ‘Housing Romanticism.’” In Casaliggi, Saggini, van Woudenberg (eds). “Housing Romanticism.” European Romantic Review 34, 2 (2023): 125-31.
- “Pictures from Surrey.” In Burney Society UK Winter 2022 Newsletter. December 2022: 2-6.
- “The wolf, the lamb, and the big “Oh!”: voids, (w)holes, and epitaphic emptiness in Frances Burney’s Hubert de Vere’. Open Research Europe 3:138.
- C. Casaliggi, F. Saggini, M. van Woudenberg (eds). “Housing Romanticism”. European Romantic Review 34, 2 (2023).
- Frances Burney and the Arts. F. Saggini (ed.) Palgrave Macmillan, 2022.
- Romantic Theatre and Drama. A survey of free online resources (available on BARS website).
- DMP OpeRaNew Project.