Madness At the Opera: An Author Event
A meeting with author Marcin Bogucki
An author event featuring Dr Marcin Bogucki hosted by Dr Bartłomiej Gembicki (IS PAN).
Dr Marcin Bogucki holds degrees in Culture Studies, Art History, and Musicology, and is currently an assistant professor at the Institute of Polish Culture, University of Warsaw. He defended a Ph.D. thesis on the links between opera and madness in the modern era. He wrote the book Teatr operowy Petera Sellarsa. Inscenizacje Händla i Mozarta z lat 80. XX w. (Poznań 2012) and has published in Didaskalia, Widok, Opcje, Dialog, mała kultura współczesna, and on Dwutygodnik.com.
'Every theatre is an insane asylum, but an opera theatre is the ward for the incurables.' The quip, allegedly uttered by Hugo von Hofmannsthal, inspired Marcin Bogucki to write a book exploring the theme of madness in opera from the 17th to the 20th century. The publication mostly features historical studies in which the author presents how the motif of madness was rendered in music throughout the centuries.
To highlight today's perspective, Bogucki begins each chapter with an analysis of a contemporary piece that alludes to a historical work of music. He complements this with theoretical deliberations: In what sense can madness be considered a modern disease? What is the link between opera and modern aesthetics? How has the motif of madness been explored in opera to date?
Thanks to its interdisciplinary perspective, the book provides a multidimensional view of opera, presenting it as a 'anatomical theatre of the soul' that was an important artistic and social medium in past centuries.
Published by słowo/obraz terytoria
Sponsors
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Ministry of Culture and National Heritage of the Republic of Poland
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Patrons of the Polish National Opera
Partners of the Opera Academy
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Partners of the Polish National Opera
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Media patrons
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