ITAL-4382: Italy on Stage

Course Description

The course will present the evolution of Italian theater and dramaturgy from the 15th century to the 20th century. We will read and “explore” a great variety of texts (from Machiavelli to Goldoni, to Pirandello and others) and the texts will be put in the context of Italian politics, society and art, but also gender and women studies (the role of actresses, for example). One of the goals of the course will be to understand the intricacies of dramaturgy and the various layers that a theatrical text presents. We can also “perform” some parts of the texts in class so that we can understand (and appreciate) the problems behind the production of a play. The course will provide a solid historic background from the Renaissance to the Fascist regime and beyond. This course is conducted in Italian.