Literature Music Performing Arts

From the 16th to the 18th century, the course illustrates the main stages in the development of theatrical practice in Europe in its various components: stage space, dramaturgy, acting. Beginning with the written text, scenic and stagecraft sketches, drawings and engravings that portrayed actors, it will proceed by making a comparison between the different European theatrical realities, noting the similarities, differences and chronological lags in the process of defining modern theatrical practice. The course will ideally be divided into three sections of 14 hours each. Within each section, the development of theater in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries will be analyzed in the context of the main European nations: Italy, France, England and Germany.

Being a preparatory course, no specific preconditions (such as the knowledge of theater history or technical terms) are required. It is considered useful the knowledge of the main cultural currents from Renaissance to Enlightenment. Given the cross-sectoral approach of the course, it is obvious and essential the knowledge of the literary and political history of the period covered during the course.

1 - Studiare i secoli XVI, XVII, XVIII in uno dei manuali a scelta tra: Storia del teatro di O.G. Brockett [a cura di C. Vicentini], Marsilio Editore 2016 (ultima edizione) Storia del teatro. Le idee e le forme dell spettacolo dall'antichità a oggi a curadi L. Allegri, Carocci Editore 2017 2- A. Nicoll: Lo Spazio Scenico, Bulzoni Editore 2016 (I ed. 1971) Lettura OBBLIGATORIA delle seguenti opere: 1 - 'La Mandragola9 di Niccolò Machiavelli 2 - Amleto, Riccardo III, Sogno di una notte di mezza estate di W. Shakespeare 3 - Fedra di Jean Racine 4/5 - Il malato immaginario e L’Avaro di Moliére 6/7 - Arlecchino servitore di due padroni e I gemelli veneziani di Carlo Goldoni 8 - Il Padre di Famiglia di Denis Diderot

Attendance is strongly recommended and will be biweekly, with meetings lasting two hours each.

The questions will be organized to verify the ability of the student to correctly set historically the main development of modern theatre. Each candidate will be asked to look at and contextualize a significant image (a stage decoration sketch, a map or a perspective drawing of a theatre architecture), to read and analize a text chosen among those in program and to compare two different drama writings, putting them in context on their respective theater scenes. No halfway tests are required. During the test, the quality and the thoroughness of the student’s learning will be evaluated. Also the student’s ability in judgment and logic and his/her active participation during the course. In order to have a passing grade (18/30) students must prove an accetable knowledge of the topics of the course. To achieve the highest grade (30/30), students must prove an excellent kowledge of the topics, ability of reasoning and proper language. The asks for non attending students will be formulated exclusively on the basis of the indicated books.

Given the preparatory nature, the course is conducted with lectures, which make use of the projection of iconographic material.