London's theatres | HISTORY OF ENGLISH LITERATURE

London's theatres

The theatres built in London in the quarter century from 1576 are a notable example of a contribution made by architecture to literature. In previous decades there have been performances of primitive and rumbustious Engl...

London's theatres | HISTORY OF LITERATURE

London's theatres

The theatres built in London in the quarter century from 1576 are a notable example of a contribution made by architecture to literature. In previous decades there have been performances of primitive and rumbustious Engl...

Noh theatre | HISTORY OF JAPAN

Noh theatre

A father and his 11-year-old son, Kanami and Zeami Motokiyo, perform in 1374 before the shogun, Yoshimitsu, at the Imakumano shrine in Kyoto. Kanami has made innovations in a traditional form of theatre, deriving origina...

The Greek theatre | HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE

The Greek theatre

An exclusively Greek contribution to architectural history is the raked auditorium for watching theatrical performances (appropriately, since the Greeks are also the inventors of theatre as a literary form).

The...

Louis XIV and theatre | HISTORY OF FRANCE

Louis XIV and theatre

While Louis himself is the star of France's grandest and longest-running piece of theatre, he is also keenly interested in performance of a more conventional sort.

He is lucky in being able to call on France's thr...

Origins | HISTORY OF GREEK LITERATURE

Origins

The origins of Greek theatre lie in the revels of the followers of Dionysus, a god of fertility and wine. In keeping with the god's special interests, his cult ceremonies are exciting occasions. His female devotees, in p...

Origins | HISTORY OF LITERATURE

Origins

The origins of Greek theatre lie in the revels of the followers of Dionysus, a god of fertility and wine. In keeping with the god's special interests, his cult ceremonies are exciting occasions. His female devotees, in p...

One of the theatre's most engaging | HISTORY OF THEATRE

Beaumarchais

One of the theatre's most engaging characters bursts upon the stage in 1775 in a light comedy which is immediately a great success. Figaro, or Le Barbier de Séville (The Barber of Seville), is witty and str...

One of the theatre's most engaging | HISTORY OF LITERATURE

Beaumarchais

One of the theatre's most engaging characters bursts upon the stage in 1775 in a light comedy which is immediately a great success. Figaro, or Le Barbier de Séville (The Barber of Seville), is witty and str...

One of the theatre's most engaging | HISTORY OF FRENCH LITERATURE

Beaumarchais

One of the theatre's most engaging characters bursts upon the stage in 1775 in a light comedy which is immediately a great success. Figaro, or Le Barbier de Séville (The Barber of Seville), is witty and str...

One October afternoon in 1658 a | HISTORY OF THEATRE

Molière

One October afternoon in 1658 a small theatre company, headed by Molière, performs a Corneille tragedy for the 20-year-old Louis XIV and his brother Philippe, two years younger. The players follow the tragedy with...

One October afternoon in 1658 a | HISTORY OF LITERATURE

Molière

One October afternoon in 1658 a small theatre company, headed by Molière, performs a Corneille tragedy for the 20-year-old Louis XIV and his brother Philippe, two years younger. The players follow the tragedy with...

One October afternoon in 1658 a | HISTORY OF FRENCH LITERATURE

Molière

One October afternoon in 1658 a small theatre company, headed by Molière, performs a Corneille tragedy for the 20-year-old Louis XIV and his brother Philippe, two years younger. The players follow the tragedy with...

The director of music at the | HISTORY OF MUSIC

Gluck and the reform of opera

The director of music at the court theatre is a German composer, Christoph Willibald Gluck. In partnership with Ranieri de' Calzabigi, a librettist critical of Metastio's conventions, Gluck devises a form of opera in whi...

The director of music at the | HISTORY OF OPERA

Gluck and the reform of opera

The director of music at the court theatre is a German composer, Christoph Willibald Gluck. In partnership with Ranieri de' Calzabigi, a librettist critical of Metastio's conventions, Gluck devises a form of opera in whi...

In a remarkable forty years, from | HISTORY OF THEATRE

Corneille and Racine

In a remarkable forty years, from 1637 to 1677, the French theatre enjoys a succession of powerful tragedies from two playwrights, Pierre Corneille and Jean Racine. Both write within tight restrictions which are consider...

In a remarkable forty years, from | HISTORY OF LITERATURE

Corneille and Racine

In a remarkable forty years, from 1637 to 1677, the French theatre enjoys a succession of powerful tragedies from two playwrights, Pierre Corneille and Jean Racine. Both write within tight restrictions which are consider...

In a remarkable forty years, from | HISTORY OF FRENCH LITERATURE

Corneille and Racine

In a remarkable forty years, from 1637 to 1677, the French theatre enjoys a succession of powerful tragedies from two playwrights, Pierre Corneille and Jean Racine. Both write within tight restrictions which are consider...

Churchill flies to Moscow by the | THE SECOND WORLD WAR

Second Fronts

Churchill flies to Moscow by the only safe route, skirting round the European theatre of war - first to Cairo, then to Teheran and thus, east of the fierce battle developing at Stalingrad, northwest to the Russian capita...

During the centuries of upheaval in | HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY

Liturgical drama

During the centuries of upheaval in Europe, after the collapse of the Roman empire, theatre plays no part in life. But with the approach of the first millennium, in the late 10th century, Christian churches introduce dra...

During the centuries of upheaval in | HISTORY OF THEATRE

Liturgical drama

During the centuries of upheaval in Europe, after the collapse of the Roman empire, theatre plays no part in life. But with the approach of the first millennium, in the late 10th century, Christian churches introduce dra...

During 1915, as the war first | HISTORY OF THE FIRST WORLD WAR

Balkan alliances

During 1915, as the war first settles into stalemate on the western front, the European theatre with the greatest volatility is the Balkans - where there is much unfinished business in the aftermath of the two recent Bal...

During 1915, as the war first | HISTORY OF THE BALKANS

Balkan alliances

During 1915, as the war first settles into stalemate on the western front, the European theatre with the greatest volatility is the Balkans - where there is much unfinished business in the aftermath of the two recent Bal...

In most cultural matters Rome is | HISTORY OF LATIN LITERATURE

Roman comedy

In most cultural matters Rome is greatly influenced by Greece, and this is particularly true of theatre. Two Roman writers of comedy, Plautus and Terence, achieve lasting fame in the decades before and after 200 BC - Pla...

In most cultural matters Rome is | HISTORY OF THEATRE

Roman comedy

In most cultural matters Rome is greatly influenced by Greece, and this is particularly true of theatre. Two Roman writers of comedy, Plautus and Terence, achieve lasting fame in the decades before and after 200 BC - Pla...

In most cultural matters Rome is | HISTORY OF LITERATURE

Roman comedy

In most cultural matters Rome is greatly influenced by Greece, and this is particularly true of theatre. Two Roman writers of comedy, Plautus and Terence, achieve lasting fame in the decades before and after 200 BC - Pla...