28126 - Theories and Cultures of Representation (LM)

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student will: acquire basic theorical-methodological tools for studying and understanding theatre facts, included those belonging to the field of music. The student also will: - acquire advanced knowledge about the study of theatre (musical theatre included) and theatre theory, that by now must go together with necessary intercultural and transcultural approach on live arts, and which must be able to integrate the contributions coming from "hard" sciences, of course beyond those from history and humanities; - command interdisciplinary theorical-methodological tools, necessary for future artistic, critical, organisational activities in the fields of live arts.

Course contents

Lesson plan

Course start: 01 February 2021 - 14 April 2021 (Teaching break from 15/03 to 19/03)

Lessons on line Teams: 01 February  2021 - 10 March 2021

Lessons in presence, 22 March 2021 - 14 April 2021, at the l’Aula Cruciani – Via Barberia 4

Days:

Monday 11-13

Tuesday 11-13

Wednesday 11-13

 

 

Course title:

The permanence of the Dionysian

The course arises from a need of thought and sets the theme of knowledge starting from the study of the cognitive tool used: the Theatre. Thinking about Theatre is therefore equivalent to thinking about its foundations, investigating them from the etymology that it reveals. To do otherwise would be like discarding the roots to cultivate the branches.

From this assumption unravel the concepts that give shape to the course, starting from a rereading of Aristotle's Poetics - in which the narrative aspect dominates - which constituted a radical change of perspective with respect to the horizon that precedes it, organized instead around music (and voice) and markedly performative aspects.

In this framework the Dionysian feeling looms as a peculiar feature of the archaic spectacular forms, whose constituent elements date back to the mysterious cults practised in Central Asia and Greece. The permanence of this sensitivity, or at least some of its elements, comes to us like a karstic river and we find them transfigured on the scene of Jan Fabre, Romeo Castellucci, the Teatro delle Albe or the Teatro Valdoca.

Of the Dionysian, connoted as detachment from the world and immersion in pure interiority, we will discuss three aspects in particular: the first is self-recognition – anagnorisisis for the Greeks – while the second is becoming in its two declensions animal and vegetable. Both these elements coagulate in the definition of the figure on stage. It takes the floor – this is the third aspect of the investigation – and does so in the forms of the voice-song that expresses and testifies to the irrepressible need to share with others what is known in the regions of pure interiority. In doing so, the poets of the scene we are talking about – among whom we can remember Carmelo Bene, Leo De Berardinis and Perla Peragallo, but also Ermanna Montanari, Chiara Guidi, Mariangela Gualtieri and Roberto Latini – name the world by showing it as a radical representation.

It is no coincidence that their favourite expression is the oratory or concert form in which echoes, in the contemporary voice-sound, the yardstick of ancient lamentation, which strongly contributed to structuring the tragedy.

[It is strongly recommended to watch in streaming the appointment that Romaueropa Festival dedicates to the Tragedia Endogonidia of the Socìetas Raffaello Sanzio, between 24 January 2021 and 04 February 2021.
More information at the following address.
https://romaeuropa.net/news/extract-tragedia-endogonidia/]

Readings/Bibliography

Bibliography (12 CFU)

For those who intend to attend the exam in June 2021: If the volumes currently being published in the bibliography (items 2 and 4) are not available in April 2021, they can be replaced with 2 of the volumes indicated in the choice for non-attenders.

1)- Aristotele, Poetica, Milano, Bompiani, 2000.

2)- E. Montanari, E. Pitozzi, Cellula. Anatomia dello spazio scenico, Macerata, Quodlibet, (April 2021).

3)- L. Amara, P. Di Matteo, Teatri di voce - numero monografico della rivista «Culture Teatrali», n. 20. Lucca, La casa Usher, 2011.

4)- V. Valentini (a cura di), Drammaturgie sonore II, Roma, Bulzoni, April 2021).

5)- Lesson notes.

 

For students not attending the exam consists of an oral interview on the texts in the bibliography + one book among these:

a)- L. Mancini, Carmelo Bene: fonti della poetica. Milano-Udine, Mimesis Edizioni, 2020

b)- L. Cardili S. Vallauri, L’arte orale. Poesia, musica, performance, Torino, Accademia University Press, 2020.

c)- Teatro Valdoca Album dei Giuramenti. Tavole dei Giuramenti, con testi di Lorella Barlaam e Mariangela Gualtieri e tavole di Cesare Ronconi, Macerata, Quodlibet, 2019.

d)-E. Pitozzi, Acusma. Figura e voce nel teatro sonoro di Ermanna Montanari. Macerata, Quodlibet, 2017.

e)- P. Di Matteo (a cura di), Toccare il reale. L'arte di Romeo Castellucci. Napoli, Cronopio, 2015.

Teaching methods

Due to the restrictions imposed by the current health emergency, teaching will be carried out in a didactic manner:

blended: The course is carried out in blended learning mode: the first part of the lessons (30 hours) will be carried out remotely, through the TEAMS platform. While the second part of the course will take place in presence (30 hours). In this second part, the teacher will always be present in the classroom designated for teaching, students will alternate in attendance according to a schedule of shifts being defined (more detailed information about the shift and how to access the lesson in attendance will be provided later).

It will always be possible to connect remotely and follow live streaming lessons in the classroom via the TEAMS platform, so that all students can attend the course without problems.

Frontal lessons, with analysis and deepening of the concepts treated, guided analysis of the audiovisual works of the theatre, choreographic and installation scene.

Other bibliographical indications, in a foreign language, will be provided and discussed during the course, so as to frame the issues raised in a broader analytical framework.
In-depth analyses and critical readings, as well as a card with an indication of the materials discussed during each lesson, will be uploaded to the IOL platform of the teaching.

Assessment methods

The evaluation of the course will be carried out according to the ways, timing and guidelines established by the course of study. It will be based on an oral interview. Students may also agree with the Lecturer to prepare an essay on the aspects developed within the module. The written text shall be approx 10 pages and shall be provided to the Lecturer one week before the oral test date. Evaluation will be according to the modes, timing and directive set up for the course and will be based on an oral test.

The final exam will be an oral one, with questions aimed to verify the student's knowledge of the themes discussing during frontal lectures (only for attending students) as well as those treated in the program's texts. Attending students may, alternatively, present a written work agreed with the teacher.

The assessment will concentrate particularly on the skill displayed by the student in handling the material in the exam bibliography and his ability to find and use information and examples to illustrate and correlate the various themes and problems addressed in the course.

The assessment will thus examine the student's:

- factual knowledge of the subject;

- ability to summarise and analyse themes and concepts;

- familiarity with the terminology associated with the subject and his ability to use it effectively.

Top marks will be awarded to a student displaying an overall understanding of the topics discussed during the lectures, combined with a critical approach to the material and a confident and effective use of the appropriate terminology (30 cum laude and 30).

Average marks will be awarded to a student who has memorized the main points of the material and is able to summarise them satisfactorily and provide an effective critical commentary, while failing to display a complete command of the appropriate terminology (29-27).

A mnemonic knowledge of the subject, together with the capacity for synthesis and analysis articulated in a correct language, but not always appropriate, will lead to discreet evaluations (26-24).

Gaps in training and/or imprecise language - albeit in a context of minimal knowledge of the examination material - will lead to sufficient marks (23-21).

Training gaps and/or imprecise language - albeit in a context of minimal knowledge of the examination material - will lead to just enough grades (20-18).

Insufficient training, inappropriate language, lack of orientation within the bibliographic material will be evaluated negatively (<18).

 

Teaching tools

Audiovisual material from theatre, digital archives; platforms and websites.

Office hours

See the website of Enrico Pitozzi