Theatrum Neolatinum. Latinské divadlo v českých zemích [Latin Theatre in the Bohemian Lands]. Introduction of a New Series of Publications and its First Volumes
Abstract
In terms of the theatrical production of Jesuit schools, many synopses but also a large number of complete texts of plays have been preserved in the Czech lands. These plays - written for annual productions of individual classes - represent a textual corpus which is unique in the European context.
The Theatrum Neolatinum series wishes to introduce a selection of texts of Jesuit school plays, and possibly also other Early Modern dramatic texts produced in Bohemia. The first volume, St.
John of Nepomuk on Jesuit School Stage, presents texts and synopses of plays concerning this particular Saint from the 1720s and 1730s. The presented corpus can be considered a representative overview of school dramatic production.
It is evident from the edited plays how the subject was adapted with respect to the age of the students, and how the treatment of the Saint's character changed (from the plays intended for the youngest pupils to demanding allegorical plays). The second volume of this series, The Gentlest Pallas, presents a selection of plays intended for the grammatical classes of Jesuit colleges, with emphasis on thematic analysis.
In the forthcoming publications, plays about St. Francis Xavier will be introduced, a selection of plays by Jesuit Arnold Engel, an overview of the works of Jesuit Václav Lachač and others.
Every volume is introduced by specialized studies and the dramatic texts are accompanied by critical apparatus and mirror translation with added factual information. In the conclusion of my paper, I will discuss our editorial approaches to the text.