In this study of Dante and the religious orders and institutions of his time, I argue that the poet embeds histories of the religious orders into the Commedia. I demonstrate that Dante’s historical vision, as it pertains to the religious orders, is one of parallel decline, whereby the virtuous intentions of religious institutions are corrupted as time moves forward. By taking Dante’s own historical scheme, which is best articulated through the character of St. Benedict of Nursia in Paradiso 22, I propose a reading of the Commedia that excavates and traces the histories that Dante tells of the papacy, cardinals and bishops, monasticism, and the mendicant fraternal orders. The first chapter identifies the scriptural foundations of apostolic succession as they are articulated in the Commedia, and how the historical tribulations of the early church, especially the Donation of Constantine, is depicted by Dante through his early papal history. The second chapter posits that Dante’s “modern popes” are a useful category for understanding how the papal history of the Commedia intersects with issues of conversion and political theory. My third chapter focuses on Dante’s history of cardinals and bishops and has two goals: to explore the ways in which the twinning of the figures of Peter and Paul create the backbone of the Commedia’s program for apostolic renewal and to examine and historicize Dante’s critiques of the Decretalists. The next chapter, on the history of monasticism, focuses on Benedict of Nursia and the origins of Western monasticism as depicted in the Commedia, the history of monastic reform traced by Dante in his poem, and the ways in which he stages issues of compulsion on the backdrop of religious life. In my fifth and final chapter I turn to Dante’s histories of the mendicant fraternal orders (the Order of Friars Minor and the Order of Preachers) and the lives of their two founders (Francis and Dominic) as told in Paradiso. By tracing the histories of religious orders that are sutured into the fabric of his Commedia, this dissertation proposes a new way of examining Dante’s historical imagination and narrative craft.

[EN] The PhD thesis "INCIPIT: The search for a multidisciplinary language at the crossroads of Antiquity and Contemporaneity" focusses on the influence of the methodology of Historically Informed Performance practice on the creation of a Contemporary Music Theatre performance. The framework and creative basis for their connection is the Divina Commedia of Dante Alighieri (1265-1321). In music theatre it is not only about music as one of the scenic elements; musical thinking structures the entire theatrical process. It is a genre-between-genre, where various art disciplines interact. Historically Informed Performance practice is a characteristic musical approach of the Early Music movement. It includes study of historical documents and objects in order to obtain a more profound understanding of the music and a performance practice which is based upon this comprehension. In our thesis, Historically Informed Performance practice has been connected with Contemporary Music Theatre through a mise-en-scene of Dante's Commedia, principally based upon its sonorous non-musical and musical references. Also references of movement, gesture, colour and light were taken into account for the mise-en-scene, but always in relation to the sonorous references. In this way, the mise-en-scene is a sonorous journey through Dante's Afterworld as he might have imagined it, but also a contemporary visual and dramatical journey. This research has been done through artistic practice: the creation and performance of a contemporary music theatre work called Incipit. It is based upon thorough knowledge of the Commedia and, through its methodology of Historically Informed Performance Practice, it has mostly made used of 14th century musical sources. An audio file was created as a sonorous element for Incipit, based on previously existing sounds and recording of songs and texts.The performance was recorded in video format. The research question was: How do the work methods taken from Historically Informed Performance practice contribute to the creation of a contemporary music theatre performance in a mise-en-scene of the Divina Commedia? For this practice-based research not only historical-musical knowledge was necessary but also literary knowledge of Dante's Commedia and its underlying meanings. Theoretical knowledge thus was an important basis for the practice. However, the practice itself also provided information for the theory. For the composition of three-voice "simple polyphony" according to the rules for polyphonic improvisation around 1300, theoretical knowledge was essential, but their practice led to historical-musical insights of its performance and its rules for intervallic and rhythmic matters. The practice provided a new perspective on Dante's narrative from a sonorous point of view. Finally, the practice combined two disciplines, Early Music and Contemporary Music Theatre, which are not commonly combined, and it provides us new theoretical insights of creative processes and musical-theatrical languages. / [ES] La tesis doctoral "INCIPIT: La búsqueda de un lenguaje multidisciplinario en el punto de encuentro entre la antigüedad y contemporaneidad" trata sobre la influencia de la metodología de la práctica de interpretación históricamente informada en la creación de una puesta en escena de Teatro Musical Contemporáneo. El marco y la base creativa para su combinación es la Divina Comedia de Dante Alighieri (1265 - 1321). El teatro musical no se centra solamente en la música como uno de los elementos escénicos; el pensamiento musical estructura todo el proceso teatral. Es un género-entre-géneros donde interactúan varias disciplinas artísticas. La interpretación históricamente informada es una manera de abordar la música que caracterizan los intérpretes especializados en la Música Antigua. Incluye el estudio de documentos y objetos históricos con el fin de llegar a una comprensión más profunda de la música antigua y una práctica interpretativa que se basa en este entendimiento. En esta tesis, se ha relacionado la interpretación históricamente informada con el teatro musical contemporáneo a través de una puesta en escena de la Comedia de Dante basada principalmente en sus referencias sonoras, tanto musicales como no musicales. Además se tomaron en cuenta las referencias de movimiento, gesto, color y luz para la puesta en escena pero siempre en relación con las referencias sonoras. De esta forma, la puesta en escena se ha convertido en un viaje sonoro a través del Más Allá de Dante como él mismo podría haberlo imaginado, pero también siendo un viaje visualmente y dramáticamente de carácter contemporáneo. Esta investigación se ha realizado a través de la práctica artística: la creación e interpretación de una obra de teatro musical contemporáneo llamada Incipit. Se basa en un conocimiento profundo de la Comedia y, a través de la metodología de la práctica interpretativa históricamente informada, se ha hecho principalmente uso de fuentes musicales del siglo XIV. Un archivo de audio fue creado como elemento sonoro para Incipit, compuesto de sonidos previamente existentes y la grabación de cantos y textos. La actuación fue grabada en formato de vídeo. La pregunta de investigación fue: ¿Cómo contribuyen los métodos de trabajo tomados de la práctica interpretativa históricamente informada a la creación de una actuación de teatro musical contemporáneo en una puesta en escena de la Divina Comedia? Para esta investigación basada en la práctica, no sólo fue necesario el conocimiento histórico-musical, sino también el conocimiento literario de la Comedia de Dante y sus significados subyacentes. Por lo tanto el conocimiento teórico ha constituido una base importante para la práctica. Sin embargo, la práctica en sí también proporciona información para la teoría. En cuanto a la composición de "polifonía sencilla" a tres voces, de acuerdo con las reglas para la improvisación polifónica de principios del siglo XIV, ha sido esencial recurrir a un gran conocimiento teórico, pero su práctica interpretativa dio lugar a ideas histórico-musicales de su interpretación y sus normas acerca de cuestiones de intervalos y ritmos musicales. La práctica proporciona, desde un punto de vista sonoro, una nueva perspectiva de la narrativa de Dante. Por último, la interpretación junta dos disciplinas que no han sido combinadas frecuentemente: la Música Antigua y el Teatro Musical Contemporáneo, proporcionándonos nuevos conocimientos teóricos de los procesos creativos y los lenguajes musical-teatrales. / [CA] La tesi doctoral "INCIPIT: La recerca d'un llenguatge multidisciplinari en el punt de trobada entre l'antiguitat i contemporaneïtat" tracta sobre la influència de la metodologia de la pràctica d'interpretació històricament informada en la creació d'una posada en escena de Teatre Musical Contemporani. El marc i la base creativa per la seua combinació és la Divina Comèdia de Dante Alighieri (1265-1321). El teatre musical no se centra només en la música com un dels elements escènics; el pensament musical estructura tot el procés teatral. És un gènere-entre-gèneres on interactuen diverses disciplines artístiques. La interpretació històricament informada és una manera d'abordar la música que caracteritzen els intèrprets especialitzats en la Música Antiga. Inclou l'estudi de documents i objectes històrics per tal d'arribar a una comprensió més profunda de la música antiga i una pràctica interpretativa que es basa en aquest endement. En aquesta tesi, s'ha relacionat la interpretació històricament informada amb el teatre musical contemporani a través d'una posada en escena de la Comèdia de Dante basada principalment en les seues referències sonores, tant musicals com no musicals. A més es van prendre en compte les referències de moviment, gest, color i llum per a la posada en escena però sempre en relació amb les referències sonores. D'aquesta manera, la posada en escena s'ha convertit en un viatge sonor a través del Més Enllà de Dante com ell mateix podria haver-ho imaginat, però també sent un viatge visualment i dramàticament de caràcter contemporani. Aquesta investigació s'ha realitzat a través de la pràctica artística: la creació i interpretació d'una obra de teatre musical contemporani anomenada Incipit. Es basa en un coneixement profund de la Comèdia i, a través de la metodologia de la pràctica interpretativa històricament informada, s'ha fet principalment ús de fonts musicals del segle XIV. Un arxiu d'àudio va ser creat com a element sonor per a Incipit, compost de sons prèviament existents i de la gravació de cants i textos. L'actuació va ser gravada en format de vídeo. La pregunta d'investigació va ser: Com contribueixen els mètodes de treball presos de la pràctica interpretativa històricament informada a la creació d'una actuació de teatre musical contemporani en una posada en escena de la Divina Comèdia? Per a aquesta investigació basada en la pràctica, no només va ser necessari el coneixement històric-musical, sinó també el coneixement literari de la Comèdia de Dante i els seus significats subjacents. Per tant el coneixement teòric ha constituït una base important per a la pràctica. No obstant això, la pràctica en si també proporciona informació per a la teoria. Pel que fa a la composició de "polifonia senzilla" a tres veus, d'acord amb les regles per a la improvisació polifònica de principis del segle XIV, ha sigut essencial recórrer a un gran coneixement teòric, però la seua pràctica interpretativa va donar lloc a idees historicomusicals de la seua interpretació i les seues normes sobre qüestions d'intervals i ritmes musicals. La pràctica proporciona, des d'un punt de vista sonor, una nova perspectiva de la narrativa de Dante. Finalment, la interpretació junta dues disciplines que no han estat combinades freqüentment: la Música Antiga i el Teatre Musical Contemporani, proporcionant-nos nous coneixements teòrics dels processos creatius i els llenguatges musical-teatrals. / Sprenkeling, L. (2016). INCIPIT: The search for a multidisciplinary language at the crossroads of Antiquity and Contemporaneity [Tesis doctoral no publicada]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/62682

This thesis is crafted as an explorative theoretical essay, which aims to disclose the continuities and shifts in constructions of Italian post-war identity through the lenses of Marxist theory and postcolonial film analysis. The research will attempt to locate three paradigmatic cases of post-war Italian cinema and their authors in relation to the historical context, as well as coeval political and theoretical developments in the country. In order to produce a cartography of the Italian social landscape and its spaces of marginality and exclusion, the reader will be guided through this analysis by following the adventures of a paradigmatic character type, whom I will call “the wanderer”, a figure whose itinerant quality reflects the marginality of a social position and attitude that can be summed up by as the “art of getting by” (l’arte di arrangiarsi). As I will show, this position and attitude play a central role in defining a particular identity in relation to established social norms. To trace the transformation of this character, then, is also to trace transformations in the nation’s self-understanding in relation to class, race, gender, and the external world. My interpretation is built on two main theoretical premises. The first one is Gayatri Spivak’s contention that the importance of aesthetics, and aesthetic education, lies in their capacity to mediate between idealism and empiricism, or ethics and social reality. The second premise follows Fredric Jameson’s hypothesis about the creative quality of realism as an aesthetic paradigm, assuming that its primary aim and function is not a representative one, but one of active re-creation of the social reality anew. For me, these two premises are linked by the primary role they assign to aesthetic representation – as connected with imagination – in creating new grounds for social change.

I bring together ethnographic interviews with deck officers, studies in actor-network theory, explicit and tacit knowledge theory, and performativity theory in this work. I prove that bridge technologies produce what are called mimeomorphic (repeatable with some variation) actions that contain no deck officer collective tacit knowledge. I argue that deck officer bridge watch situated actions are mostly polimorphic (actions can vary depending on social context), and these actions are in fact performatives (in an Austin sense) derived from a more oral than literate performance production process. These performatives constantly build the mariner's identity within the maritime deck officer community and their successful performatives give deck officers agency in the form of an oppositional view to deskilling. These same performative acts are the value of the mariner's experiential technological knowledge within the ship's bridge technology framework. / Ph. D.

François-Antoine-Valentin Riccoboni (1707-1772) représente un paradigme de la rencontre des cultures théâtrales italienne et française au XVIIIe siècle, du point de vue des pratiques scéniques, de la dramaturgie, de la poétique et de la théorie du jeu. Son travail d’acteur participe de l’esthétique italienne visant un jeu plus simple et naturel, qui aura plusieurs échos dans la réforme de la pratique scénique française, la critique contemporaine et la théorie du jeu. Son œuvre se développe dans le sillon de la tradition de la Comédie-Italienne de Paris, démontrant la persistance des processus de composition poétique typiques du savoir artistique italien. Danseur et maître de ballet, François expérimente les possibilités du ballet-pantomime au carrefour des influences choreutiques anglaises, foraines, et du jeu pantomimique italien. Son Art du Théâtre (1750) représente la translation de sa pratique scénique dans le domaine théorique et esthétique. Manuel à l’usage des aspirants acteurs, il revendique aussi une théorie fondée exclusivement sur la pratique du plateau. Aussi, définit-il pour la première fois une théorie du jeu qui repose sur les qualités rationnelles et imitatives de l’acteur, laquelle influencera notamment le Diderot du Paradoxe. Divisé en quatre parties, notre travail reconstruit la vie de Riccoboni (I Partie) ; essaie de saisir son jeu scénique en italien à l’impromptu, en français, dans le chant et dans la danse (II Partie) ; analyse son œuvre dramatique (III Partie) ; étudie l’Art du Théâtre (IV Partie). Deux volumes d’annexes rassemblent des documents d’archives inédits, le répertoire raisonné et l’édition des œuvres inédites de François. / François Antoine Valentin Riccoboni (1707-1772) exemplifies the intersection between Italian and French theatrical cultures in the 18th century in terms of staging practices, dramaturgy, poetics, and the theory of acting. Rooted in the Italian aesthetic, his acting aimed to achieve a style that was simpler and more natural and would be echoed in a number of ways in the reform of French stagecraft, contemporary criticism and the theory of acting. His work develops in alignment with the tradition of the Comédie Italienne in Paris, thus demonstrating the longevity of the process of poetic composition characteristic of the Italian artistic expertise. Dancer and ballet master, Riccoboni experiments with the possibilities of the ballet-pantomime at the juncture of influences from English dance, fairgrounds, and Italien pantomime. His Art du Théâtre (1750) proposes the transposition of his stage techniques in the areas of theory and aesthetics. A practical handbook designed for aspiring actors, it claims also to be a theory based solely on stage experience. It articulates, for the first time, a theory of acting based on the rational and imitative qualities of the actor, which will influence notably Diderot in Le Paradoxe. Divided in four parts, this doctoral dissertation retraces Riccoboni’s life (Part I); attempts to understand his stage craft in Italian all’improvviso, in French, in song and dance (Part II); analyzes his dramatic works (Part III); and studies his Art du Théâtre (Part IV). Two volumes of appendices offer previously unpublished archival sources as well as the annotated inventory and edition of previously unpublished texts by Riccoboni. / François Antoine Valentin Riccoboni (1707-1772) rappresenta un paradigma dell’incontro tra la cultura teatrale italiana e francese nel XVIII secolo, dal punto di vista della pratica scenica, della drammaturgia, della poetica e della teoria della recitazione. La sua arte attoriale partecipa dell’estetica italiana, tesa ad una recitazione più semplice e naturale, che avrà delle eco importanti nella riforma della pratica scenica francese, nella critica contemporanea e nella teoria della recitazione. La sua opera si sviluppa nel solco della tradizione della Comédie Italienne di Parigi, dimostrando la persistenza di processi compositivi tipici del sapere artistico italiano. Ballerino e maître de ballet, François sperimenta anche le possibilità del ballet-pantomime all’incrocio delle influenze coreutiche inglesi, foraines, e dell’arte scenica e pantomimica italiana. Il suo Art du Théâtre (1750) rappresenta la traslazione della sua pratica attoriale nel dominio teorico ed estetico. Manuale pratico all’uso degli aspiranti attori, esso rivendica inoltre una teoria fondata esclusivamente sulla pratica del palcoscenico e definisce per la prima volta un processo interpretativo basato sulle qualità razionali e imitative dell’attore, teoria che influenzerà particolarmente il Diderot del Paradoxe. Diviso in quattro parti, il nostro lavoro ricostruisce la vita di Riccoboni (I Parte); cerca di restituirne la pratica scenica nella recitazione all’improvviso, in francese, nel canto e nella danza (II Parte); analizza la sua opera (III Parte); studia l’Art du Théâtre (IV Parte). Due volumi di appendici raccolgono documenti d’archivio inediti, il repertorio ragionato e l’edizione delle opere inedite di François.

In the Commedia of Dante, a poem 14,233 lines in length, some 7,500 words occur only once. These are the hapax. Fewer than 2% of these constitute a minute but distinct subset—the hapax for which there are one or more words in the poem whose spelling is identical but whose meaning is different. These are what I call same-spelling hapax. I identify four categories: part-of-speech, homograph, locus, and name. Analysis of the same-spelling hapax illuminates a poetic strategy continuously in use throughout the poem. This is to use the one-word overlap of Rhyme and line number. Not only is it highly probable that a same-spelling hapax will be a rhyme-word, but it is also probable that it will occupy a rhyme-word’s most significant position—the one place—the single word—where the two intertwined formal entities that shape each canto coincide. Every three lines, their tension-resolving this-word-only union intensifies the reader’s attention and understanding alike.

Originally presented as the author's Thesis (doctoral--Universität Zürich, 1991). / Includes bibliographical references (p. [668]-680).

La commedia dell'arte is a recognized, vibrant theatrical form that emerged in Italy during the Renaissance. However, while great attention has been given to the particulars of the genre (performance techniques, important troupes, leading players), there lacks a study behind the reasoning for its vast international popularity. In this thesis, I explore why this particular genre was able to cross cultural and linguistic boundaries, finding a dedicated and enthusiastic following in most European countries for over 200 years. After analyzing commedia dell'arte's original development in the Italian peninsula, examining the predominating Carnival ideology and the ability of the troupes to establish both regional and national symbols through the creation of specific stock characters, I will concentrate on the international tours and performances. By looking at the adaptive qualities of the troupes, and specifically their ability to play off of Europe's lack of national identity and Northern European's fascination with their exotic southern neighbor, I will discuss the reaction of Northern Europe with the Italian theatre, with a detailed look into the success of the troupes abroad. The popularity of the troupes will also be explored through the unique adaptation, assimilation and adoption of commedia dell'arte techniques and characters into developing national theatres of the other countries. I will conclude with a look of how commedia dell'arte has been and can continue to be effectively used in today's theatre. The examination of what drew both native and foreign audiences to the commedia dell'arte performances opens up possibilities for modern practitioners who wish to capitalize on the ability of the troupes to successfully play to a wide spectrum of people.

The dissertation presents an annotated critical edition of Benvento da Imola's Expositio to the first of Valerius Maximus' books, flanked by a service edition of the recollectae of Benvenuto's Bolognese course (Part II). The Introduction (Part I), in addition to explaining criteria and methods of the edition, brings order within the manuscript tradition of the Expositio and the recollecte; special attention is given to those manuscripts that seem to convey an "intermediate" redaction of the commentary, which the present work seeks to attribute to the Paduan Ludovico Buzzacarini. The long-held view that a commentary on Valerius Maximus by Giovanni Conversini exists, preserved in ms. Correr 855, is also refuted. The Observations (Part III) highlight the differences between the Expositio and the recollecte and the structural features of the commentary. Part IV updates the relationships between Benvenuto, on the one hand, and Petrarch and Boccaccio, on the other, in light of quotations and mentions of the two Corone made in the commentary on Valerius Maximus, which are more often implicit than explicit. Finally, we note the complete absence of quotations from Dante and the Commedia in the Expositio, significant of the author's desire to root his exegesis in classical antiquity. / La tesi presenta un'edizione critica commentata dell'Expositio di Benvento da Imola al primo di libro di Valerio Massimo, affiancata da un'edizione di servizio delle recollecte del corso bolognese di Benvenuto (Parte II). L'Introduzione (Parte I), oltre a spiegare criteri e metodi di edizione, mette ordine all'interno della tradizione manoscritta di Expositio e recollecte; una particolare attenzione è data a quei manoscritti che paiono trasmettere una redazione del commento “intermedia”, che il presente lavoro cerca di attribuire al padovano Ludovico Buzzacarini. Viene inoltre confutata l'opinione a lungo invalsa che esista, conservato nel ms. Correr 855, un commento a Valerio Massimo di Giovanni Conversini. Le Osservazioni (Parte III) mettono in rilievo le differenze tra l'Expositio e le recollecte e i caratteri strutturali del commento. La Parte IV aggiorna i rapporti tra Benvenuto, da una parte, e Petrarca e Boccaccio, dall'altra, alla luce di citazioni e menzioni delle due Corone fatte nel commento a Valerio Massimo, più spesso implicite che esplicite. Si rileva infine la completa assenza di citazioni di Dante e della Commedia nell'Expositio, significativo della volontà dell'autore di radicare l'esegesi nell'antichità classica.

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