History and analysis of Italian drama literature texts from the 16th to the 20th century in lectures and textual analysis of major works with active practice from students and possible seminar activities.
To analyse Italian literature themes and issues in its relations with theatre and performance in terms of both the production of dramaturgic texts as well as texts (news stories, autobiographical writings, letters etc) that can contribute to the knowledge of the history of performance.
The aim of the course is to impart knowledge, competencies and skills vis-à-vis the study of Italian drama literature for both research development and training for school teaching. In particular, at the end of the course the student will be able to:
- demonstrate thorough knowledge of the historical development of Italian drama literature and show they have read and understood works and texts from major authors.
- strengthen their critical analysis skills as well as their ability to interpret and contextualise literary texts on the basis of what was learned during the course.
- know how to use tools of critical and discipline-specific language in written and oral form.
Thorough knowledge (three-year arts degree level) of the history of Italian literature.
Critical analysis skills as well as the ability to interpret and contextualise literary texts; ability to present clearly and with the use of appropriate critical language.
Lectures using multimedia tools and materials (students are urged to come to lectures with the texts indicated each time by the lecturer). During lectures students are encouraged to participate actively with questions and comments. The course gives students access to various teaching tools in a dedicated section of the e-learning portal AulaWeb (summaries of lectures, texts, additional material or study notes).
A seminar (6 hours) will be held on other 18th century texts (Maffei – Martello - Gozzi – Da Ponte – Calzabigi) in which students can volunteer to participate.
Programme for students taking the course for 6 credits
Aspects of Italian drama literature from the 16th century onwards (12 hours)
The 18th century: the golden century of Italian theatre: melodrama and comedy (24 hours)
Programme for students taking the course for 9 credits
The 18th century: great century of Italian theatre: melodrama and comedy (36 hours)
“Una notte a Tunisi” by Vitaliano Trevisan (6 hours)
For 6 credits
Bibliography
G. Steiner, Morte della tragedia, Milano, Garzanti.
Unabridged reading of: Mandragola (Machiavelli) or Cortigiana (Aretino), Orbecche (Giraldi) or Canace (Speroni) or Torrismondo (Tasso), Aminta (Tasso) or Pastor fido (Guarini) Teatro delle favole rappresentative (Scala), Turandot (Gozzi), Adelchi (Manzoni), Falstaff (Boito-Verdi), La figlia di Iorio (d’Annunzio), Enrico IV (Pirandello).
All texts are available and can be downloaded online from different sites:
bibliotecaitaliana.it – liberliber.it – classicitaliani.it - letteraturaitaliana.net – europeana.eu
it.wikisource.org- archive.org – google.it / libra
For general information on Italian drama literature from the 16th century onwards see the specific pages in a good literary history (e.g. Giulio Ferroni, Storia della letteratura italiana, Mondadori Università, 2012).
For further study:
Mario Apollonio, Storia del teatro italiano (1941), BUR
Franca Angelini, Teatri moderni, in Letteratura italiana Einaudi. Teatro , Musica, tradizione dei classici, 1986
Siri Ferrone, Teatro, in chapters on Storia della letteratura italiana Salerno, dal Cinquecento al Novecento.
Several plays can be seen on youtube (eg. Goldoni, Alfieri, Pirandello, etc.)
Inexpensive annotated editions available
Machiavelli, Mandragola (Bur, Garzanti, Oscar Mondadori)
Aretino, Cortigiana (Bur)
Giraldi, Orbecche (Teatro italiano / tragedia 500, Einaudi)
Tasso, Torrismondo (in Tasso, Teatro,Garzanti)
Tasso, Aminta (bur, Oscar Mondadori, in Tasso, Teatro,Garzanti)
Guarini, Pastor fido (Marsilio)
Gozzi, Fiabe teatrali (Garzanti)
Manzoni, Adelchi, Marsilio
D’Annunzio, La figlia di Iorio (Garzanti)
Pirandello, Enrico IV (Bur, Garzanti, Einaudi)
The monographic part deals with the work of Metastasio and Goldoni and the analysis of:
Olimpiade (Metastasio) and Rusteghi (Goldoni)
For 9 credits
it.wikisource.org- archive.org – google.it / libri
For general information on Italian drama literature from the 16th century onwards see the specific pages in a good literary history (eg Giulio Ferroni, Storia della letteratura italiana, Mondadori Università, 2012).
Inexpensive annotated editions available:
Olimpiade (Metastasio) and Rusteghi (Goldoni), Saul (Alfieri)
Metastasio, Melodrammi e Canzonette edited by G. Lavezzi BUR
Alfieri, Saul (Oscar Mondadori, Garzanti)
Critical Bibliography:
Walter Binni, Settecento letterario (the parts dedicated to the theatre) downloadable.
https://www.fondowalterbinni.it/biblioteca/Scritti%20settecenteschi%201968%20tre.pdf
https://www.fondowalterbinni.it/biblioteca/Goldoni-Scritti-1952-1973--256%20pag.pdf
https://www.fondowalterbinni.it/biblioteca/alfieri_vol_9_264_pag.pdf
Ricevimento: DIRAAS-BALBI 2, 4TH FLOOR, TUESDAY 9-11 am
STEFANO FERNANDO VERDINO (President)
LUCA BELTRAMI
SIMONA MORANDO
DAMIANO SINFONICO
ITALIAN THEATRICAL LITERATURE
The exam is oral and composed of two parts: textual analysis and interview both for the general part and the monographic part; however, the obligatory written exercise (about 10,000 characters), to be handed in to the lecturer at least a week before the exam, or seminar participation, will also contribute to the evaluation.
The degree of thorough study and historical-critical knowledge of Italian drama literature from the 16th century onwards will be evaluated as will knowledge of texts and authors examined in the monographic part; moreover, students’ skills in using written and oral tools of critical-interpretative analysis and the use of specialised language will also be evaluated.
Students who cannot attend must read the following essays (they can be downloaded from academia.edu):
S. Verdino, Incipit Torrismondo
S. Verdino, Il poeta vincolato: Felice Romani tra rifacimenti e abbozzi
S. Verdino, Luzi beniamino
