Seneca's 'Medea' in Republican Spain : precedents, creation and impact of its 1933 production
On the 18th of June 1933, the Roman Theatre in MeÌrida, once the Roman Emerita Augusta, witnessed the performance of Seneca's 'Medea' by Spain's leading theatrical company, the Xirgu-BorraÌs Company. This crucial event was attended by the Prime Minister of the Second Spanish Republic alongside two ministers, the Ambassador of Italy, many MPs and a great number of intellectuals. At the Roman Theatre they joined many men and women of MeÌrida and the surrounding region of Extremadura to witness a performance and cultural republican ritual that has remained inscribed in Spain's cultural and social memory. This production of Seneca's 'Medea' in republican Spain stood at the centre of pivotal discussions on issues such as national identity, national reconfiguration, regime building, socialist, liberal and fascist ideologies, secularism, Women's Rights and new European aesthetics of theatre making. This thesis intends to explore, analyse, clarify and understand this. It is divided into five chapters. The first reconstructs what took place in MeÌrida on the 18th of June 1933, the day of the performance of Seneca's 'Medea', its genesis and impact. It is the most detailed reconstruction of the performance of Seneca's
Baldwin, Oliver Anthony
Seneca's 'Medea' in Republican Spain : precedents, creation and impact of its 1933 production. On the 18th of June 1933, the Roman Theatre in MeÌrida, once the Roman Emerita Augusta, witnessed the performance of Seneca's 'Medea' by Spain's leading theatrical company, the Xirgu-BorraÌs Company. This crucial event was attended by the Prime Minister of the Second Spanish Republic alongside two ministers, the Ambassador of Italy, many MPs and a great number of intellectuals. At the Roman Theatre they joined many men and women of MeÌrida and the surrounding region of Extremadura to witness a performance and cultural republican ritual that has remained inscribed in Spain's cultural and social memory. This production of Seneca's 'Medea' in republican Spain stood at the centre of pivotal discussions on issues such as national identity, national reconfiguration, regime building, socialist, liberal and fascist ideologies, secularism, Women's Rights and new European aesthetics of theatre making. This thesis intends to explore, analyse, clarify and understand this. It is divided into five chapters. The first reconstructs what took place in MeÌrida on the 18th of June 1933, the day of the performance of Seneca's 'Medea', its genesis and impact. It is the most detailed reconstruction of the performance of Seneca's
seneca republican spain precedent creation impact production roman theatre roman witness performance seneca spain lead theatrical company company crucial event attend prime_minister second spanish republic alongside minister ambassador italy many mps great_number intellectual roman theatre join many men_woman surround_region witness performance cultural republican ritual remain inscribed spain cultural social memory production seneca republican spain stand centre pivotal discussion issue national_identity national reconfiguration regime building socialist liberal fascist ideology secularism women rights new european aesthetic theatre make intend explore analyse clarify this divide_five chapter first reconstructs take_place day performance seneca genesis impact detailed reconstruction performance seneca