THEA 4735

This course offers its students a survey of key aspects of seventeenth and eighteenth-century European history and society along with a first-hand view of some of the most important aspects of baroque style and material culture. It takes place in the town of Cesky Krumlov in the Czech Republic. The course introduces students to the socio-political conditions that led to the birth of Baroque civilization before entering into an exploration of the court life of seventeenth and eighteenth-century Europe. It then examines the cultural and artistic forms most characteristic of this period, with particular emphasis on theatre history and on the role of the ‘theatrical’ in the Baroque arts. As the course proceeds, students will have an opportunity to consider the connections between course material and the evidence of Baroque culture to be found in the Castle Theatre’s scenographic machinery, its stock of original scenery and props, and its collection of historical costumes, as well as to witness an experimental Baroque opera performance. Finally, the course will include visits to Prague and other sites of interest to add to students’ understanding of the Baroque and its legacy to subsequent periods.