345-368

National Association or National Dramatic Association : an attempt to establish a drama school in Greece in the late 19th century

Μελέτες και άρθρα

• Ριτσάτου, Κωνσταντίνα

This essay examines the historical circumstances of the foundation of the National Association and revises the dominating opinion about its first appearance in 1883-1884. The Association was founded in 1877 as a result of the ideological confrontations concerning the solution of the East Question during the period of the Russian-Turkish war. The Association aims at developing the national consciousness and at the same time sustaining the Greek Stage- trying to reconcile two different worlds: the expansionist nationalism on one side and the development of European artistic institutions in the framework of the modernization of the Greek State on the other side. The choice of M. Arniotakis as actors teacher has as its purpose to bridge the gap between amateur actors and professionals. During the reappearance of the National Association (1883) and its renaming as National Dramatic Association (1884) and during the whole period of the 1880’s, despite the artistic targets of the Drama School (as expressed in its Statutes) the nationalistic orientation remains intact: the repertory is dominated by the historical Dramas written by the secretary of the Association, A. Antoniadis. Due to various reasons (conflicting ideologies, lack of acceptance by the majority of scholars, inability to integrate the professional actors, lack of a solid financial basis) the National Dramatic Association proved incapable to follow the artistic developments not only of Europe but even of the little Kingdom of Greece.

• Other social sciences
• Educational sciences

• Θέατρο
• Θέατρο, Ελληνικό
• Ιστορία