“Jews and Theatre in Early-Modern Northern Italy

Beginning in 1489, Jews in Northern Italian states took part in the flourishing artistic enterprises that characterize the Renaissance. Jews were dance masters, musicians and expert theatre makers: actors, directors, producers and writers. They produced plays in Italian at Carnival and for weddings and civic celebrations. They also produced original plays in Hebrew during Purim celebrations for their own community members. Theatre became a cultural currency for the Jews; one that allowed them to create social and cultural exchanges with their Christian neighbors and also cultivate a distinctive contribution to their own community’s culture. This talk will highlight some of the most notable theatre performance staged by the Jews of early-modern Northern Italy.