The long collaboration of Max Reinhardt with Hugo von Hofmannsthal was essential for their artistic development: a considerable part of Hofmannsthal's plays would be unthinkable without the impulse and the influence of the theatre director, as well as some of the most brilliant moments in Reinhardt's repertoire are marked by works created by the playwright. Moreover, this partnership has given rise to a significant renewal of theatrical language, which starts from the shared background of Vienna and then develops, at least in a first phase, in Berlin. By analysing their common work and reflections on theatre, it can be shown, how this radical change mainly takes place on a visual level, within which the ideas of truth and lies, inevitably perceived in a different way in the two cities, assume a very peculiar role. Since ancient times, the metaphor of truth is connected to light, however, the introduction of electric lighting in theatres, redefining the gestures of seeing, consequently modifies the concept of truth and revolutionises the forms of its representation. In particular, Reinhardt proposes a mainly visual style: he moves from the supposed true copy of reality, which portrays the world as a black and white picture in the manner of naturalists, to a reality that contemplates also dreams and imagination, whose truth is depicted through the language of colours.
L’inganno del bianco e nero. Max Reinhardt e Hugo von Hofmannsthal
REINHARDT, JELENA ULRIKE
2018
Abstract
The long collaboration of Max Reinhardt with Hugo von Hofmannsthal was essential for their artistic development: a considerable part of Hofmannsthal's plays would be unthinkable without the impulse and the influence of the theatre director, as well as some of the most brilliant moments in Reinhardt's repertoire are marked by works created by the playwright. Moreover, this partnership has given rise to a significant renewal of theatrical language, which starts from the shared background of Vienna and then develops, at least in a first phase, in Berlin. By analysing their common work and reflections on theatre, it can be shown, how this radical change mainly takes place on a visual level, within which the ideas of truth and lies, inevitably perceived in a different way in the two cities, assume a very peculiar role. Since ancient times, the metaphor of truth is connected to light, however, the introduction of electric lighting in theatres, redefining the gestures of seeing, consequently modifies the concept of truth and revolutionises the forms of its representation. In particular, Reinhardt proposes a mainly visual style: he moves from the supposed true copy of reality, which portrays the world as a black and white picture in the manner of naturalists, to a reality that contemplates also dreams and imagination, whose truth is depicted through the language of colours.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
