THE UNIVERSITY OF EURASIAN THEATRE
In 1990, in collaboration with the University of Bologna, ISTA
established a new activity: The University of Eurasian Theatre.
Since then sessions have been held in different Italian
cities. The University of Eurasian Theatre addresses a wider
spectrum of participants, stretching from beginners in acting and
directing, university students and scholars, to
theatregoers who are
interested in the secrets of the craft.
"When I speak of Eurasian theatre I am not thinking of theatres
within a geographical area, but of a mental dimension, an active
idea which has inspired the theatre of our century. This concept
implies the experiences which for all artists, whatever their
cultural origins, constitute the essential points of reference for
their theatre practice: from Ibsen to Zeami, from the Peking Opera
to Brecht, from the mime of Decroux to Noh, from Kabuki to
Meyerhold's bio-mechanics, from Delsarte to Kathakali, from ballet
and modern dance to Butoh, from Artaud to Bali theatre, from
Stanislavski to Natya Shastra.
We could say that Eurasian theatre represents a common country:
that of our craft, of our professional identity. Or else, it is a
legacy, that which remains and can be shared equally in the country
of transition which is theatre".
Eugenio Barba
The University of Eurasian Theatre carries out periodical
activities. These consist of conferences and encounters of a
theoretical-practical character. It has held the following
sessions:
18th Session of the University of Eurasian
Theatre
Raccontare a teatro
Scilla, Italy, 23 - 28 June 2010
with Eugenio Barba, Julia Varley (Odin Teatret)
Franco Ruffini and Mirella Schino (Roma 3 University)
Ferdinando Taviani (L'Aquila University)
Nicola Savarese (Theatre Historian)
Organised by Claudio La Camera and Maria Ficara, Teatro
Proskenion.
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17th
session of the University of Eurasian
Theatre
Theatre and Music
Reggio Calabria, Italy, 25-28 June 2009
with Eugenio Barba, Julia Varley and Frans Winther (Odin
Teatret)
Franco Ruffini and Nicola Savarese (Roma 3 University)
Mirella Schino and Nando Taviani (L'Aquila University)
Organised by Claudio La Camera and Maria Ficara, Teatro
Proskenion.
This was a closed session for the actors and musicians of Teatro
Proskenion and ten students of L'Aquila University. Julia Varley
and Frans Winther worked practically in the morning with Teatro
Proskenion divided into two groups. The afternoons were devoted to
lectures and discussions also referring to Eugenio Barba's new book
Burning the House - On Directing and
Dramaturgy and Julia Varley's book Stones of Water -
Notebook of an Odin Actress.
16th
session of the University of Eurasian Theatre
The Subterrenean History of Theatre:
Dimensions, Strategies, Techniques and
Destinies
Caulonia, Italy, 1-8 September 2008
with Eugenio Barba and Julia Varley (Odin Teatret)
Deborah Hunt (Maskhunt, Puerto Rico)
Franco Ruffini and Nicola Savarese (Roma 3 University)
Mirella Schino and Nando Taviani (L'Aquila University)
Organised by Claudio La Camera and Maria Ficara, Teatro
Proskenion.
During this session the 30 participants worked practically in
the morning with Deborah Hunt and Julia Varley
creating characters with masks, voices and costumes for a
montage which was shown on the last day at Donna Luna in
Caulonia. The afternoons were devoted to lectures and
discussions.
15th
session of the University of Eurasian Theatre
Dramaturgy and Theatre Space
Lamezia Terme, Italy, 3-11 June 2007
with Eugenio Barba and Julia Varley (Odin Teatret)
Antonella Diana (set designer, Teatret Om, Denmark)
Luca Ruzza and David Dalmazzo (architects and set designers,
OpenLab, Italy)
Jacek Dominiczak and Monika Zawadzka (architects, Poland)
Mirella Schino and Nando Taviani (L'Aquila University)
Franco Perrelli (Torino University)
Franco Ruffini (Roma 3 University)
Organised by Claudio La Camera and Maria Ficara, Teatro
Proskenion.
Programme 15th session
14th session of the University of Eurasian
Theatre
Poetry and Improvisation
Bologna, Italy, 4-8 October 2006
with Eugenio Barba, Kai Bredholt, Tage Larsen, Augusto Omolú,
Mia Theil Have, Julia Varley, Torgeir Wethal and Frans Winther
(Odin Teatret);
Franco Ruffini and Nicola Savarese (Roma 3 University);
Marco de Marinis (Bologna University).
Organised by Teatro Ridotto
A theoretical-practical workshop on dramaturgy and staging based
on texts by Tonino Guerra directed by Eugenio Barba with Odin
Teatret's actors and participants. Five days, with five hours of
practical work in the morning, lectures in the afternoon and
performance demonstrations in the evening, for 50 participants.
Programme 14th session

13th
session of the University of Eurasian
Theatre
The dancing statue and Don Giovanni: presence and
simulation Ravenna, Italy, 15-19
June 2006
with Eugenio Barba, Roberta Carreri, Tage Larsen, Iben Nagel
Rasmussen, Julia Varley, Torgeir Wethal (Odin Teatret);
Silvia Carandini and Luciano Mariti (La Sapienza
University);
Michele Monetta (ICRA, Centro Internazionale di Ricerca
sull'Attore, Napoli);
Ettore Rocca (Istituto di Ricerca su Søren Kierkegaard and
Reggio Calabria University);
Franco Ruffini and Nicola Savarese (Roma 3 University);
Mirella Schino and Nando Taviani (L'Aquila University);
Silvia Baudin, Tiziana Barbiero, Luigia Calcaterra, Caterina
Scotti, Simona Zanini (Teatro tascabile di Bergamo).
Organised by Claudio La Camera and Maria Ficara, Teatro
Proskenion
Programme and introduction 13th
session
12th session of the University of Eurasian
Theatre
Theatrical text and technical
principles
Caulonia, Italy: 21-27 June 2005
with Eugenio Barba, Julia Varley, Mia Theil Have (Odin
Teatret);
Ana Woolf (Argentina);
Franco Ruffini and Nicola Savarese (Roma 3 University);
Mirella Schino and Nando Taviani (L'Aquila University).
For 45 participants.
Organised by Claudio La Camera and Maria Ficara, Teatro
Proskenion
Programme 12th session
11th session of the University of Eurasian
Theatre
Subterranean theatre history: Theatre
directing
Caulonia, Italy, 20-30 June 2004
with Eugenio Barba and Julia Varley (Odin Teatret);
Ana Woolf (Argentina);
Franco Ruffini and Nicola Savarese (Roma 3 University);
Mirella Schino and Nando Taviani (L'Aquila University).
Organised by Claudio La Camera and Maria Ficara, Teatro
Proskenion
A session for 12 directors who present performances or scenes
during the first 2 days to /and then receive comments by
Eugenio Barba and the artistic staff. Then a workshop for
participants concentrating on montage and dramaturgy.
Programme 11th session
10th session of the University of Eurasian
Theatre
Subterranean theatre history: Theatre
laboratories
Scilla-Caulonia, Italy, 19-24 June 2003
with Eugenio Barba and Julia Varley (Odin Teatret);
Franco Ruffini and Nicola Savarese (Roma 3 University);
Mirella Schino and Nando Taviani (L'Aquila University).
For 50 participants.
Organised by Claudio La Camera and Maria Ficara, Teatro
Proskenion
9th session
of the University of Eurasian Theatre
Subterranean theatre history: Dramaturgy and
music
Scilla-Caulonia, Italy, 3-30 June 2002
with Eugenio Barba, Julia Varley and Frans Winther (Odin
Teatret);
Franco Ruffini and Nicola Savarese (Roma 3 University);
Mirella Schino and Nando Taviani (L'Aquila University).
Organised by Claudio La Camera and Maria Ficara, Teatro
Proskenion.
The 9th session of the University of Eurasian Theatre
took place within the framework of Linea Trasversale's meetings
(3-19 June, Scilla, and 25-30 June, Caulonia). Practical work was
led by Julia Varley and Frans Winther, with a final concert by the
participants in the castle of Scilla.
8th session of the University of Eurasian
Theatre
Dramaturgy techniques
Scilla, Italy, 9-22 June 2001
For 50 participants.
with Eugenio Barba and Julia Varley (Odin Teatret);
Franco Ruffini and Nicola Savarese (Roma 3 University);
Mirella Schino and Nando Taviani (L'Aquila University).
Organised by Claudio La Camera and Maria Ficara, Teatro
Proskenion
7th session of the University of Eurasian
Theatre
Emigration, deportation
Scilla, Italy 10-28
June 2000
For 50 participants.
with Eugenio Barba and Julia Varley (Odin Teatret);
Franco Ruffini and Nicola Savarese (Roma 3 University);
Mirella Schino and Nando Taviani (L'Aquila University).
Organised by Claudio La Camera and Maria Ficara, Teatro
Proskenion
6th session of the University of Eurasian
Theatre
Actor and character dramaturgy
Scilla, Italy, 22-28 June 1999
with Eugenio Barba and Julia Varley (Odin Teatret);
Augusto Omolú and Ory Sacramento (Brazil, Candomblé dance);
Franco Ruffini and Nicola Savarese (Roma 3 University);
Mirella Schino and Nando Taviani (L'Aquila University).
For 50 participants from Argentina, Brazil, Cuba, Italy,
Scotland, Japan and Spain.
Organised by Claudio La Camera and Maria Ficara, Teatro
Proskenion
Within the framework of Linea Trasversale's activities the
programme included practical classes led by Julia Varley, Augusto
Omolú and Ory Sacramento and lectures on different dramaturgical
experiences from theatre history.
5th session of the University of Eurasian
Theatre
Writing and narrating theatre: An invitation to the
written testimony of theatre experiences
Scilla, Italy, 20-25 June 1998
with Eugenio Barba and Julia Varley (Odin Teatret);
Franco Ruffini (Roma 3 University);
Nicola Savarese (Bologna University);
Mirella Schino and Nando Taviani (L'Aquila University).
Guest: Jean-Marie Pradier (Paris 8 University)
Organised by Claudio La Camera and Maria Ficara, Teatro
Proskenion
4th session of the University of Eurasian
Theatre
Learning to learn: The transition from action to
reflection
Scilla, Italy, 1-8 June 1997
with Eugenio Barba and Julia Varley (Odin Teatret);
Kanichi Hanayagi and Sae Nanaogi (Buyo Kabuki, Japan);
Eugenia Casini Ropa, Marco de Marinis, Claudio Meldolesi and
Nicola Savarese (Bologna University);
Clelia Falletti (La Sapienza University);
Laura Mariani (Cassino University);
Pier Giorgio Giacché (Perugia University);
Franco Ruffini (Roma 3 University);
Mirella Schino and Nando Taviani (L'Aquila University).
Organised by Claudio La Camera and Maria Ficara, Teatro
Proskenion
Within the framework of Linea Trasversale's activities (1-20
June 1997), the session was accompanied by a theatre festival. The
lectures had the theme:
"Tales, polemics and visions about theatre and dance in our
century".
Practical work was led by Julia Varley, Kanichi Hanayagi and Sae
Nanaogi with a final parade in town.
3rd session of the University of Eurasian
Theatre
Solitude, technique, dramaturgy and revolt: The
subterranean history of theatre
Scilla, Italy, 9-16 June 1996
with Eugenio Barba, Kai Bredholt, Julia Varley, Torgeir Wethal
and Iben Nagel Rasmussen (Odin Teatret)
Vindenes Bro
Franco Ruffini (Roma 3 University);
Clelia Falletti (La Sapienza University);
Piergiorgio Giacchè (Perugia University);
Laura Mariani (Cassino University);
Marco de Marinis, Claudio Meldolesi, Franco Ruffini and Nicola
Savarese (Bologna University);
Mirella Schino and Nando Taviani (L'Aquila University).
Organised by Claudio La Camera and Maria Ficara, Teatro
Proskenion
Within the framework of Linea Trasversale's activities, the
programme included practical activity and lectures. Julia Varley
and Torgeir Wethal led two workshops while Iben Nagel Rasmussen
worked with the participants of her ongoing seminar "Vindenes
Bro". Kai Bredholt was responsible for organising two barters.
2nd session of the University of Eurasian
Theatre
Parallel Dramaturgies
Fara Sabina, Italy, 21-31 May 1993
Dedicated to the memory of Fabrizio Cruciani, one of the
founders of ISTA
with Eugenio Barba and Odin Teatret
Sanjukta Panigrahi and her musicians
Organised by Teatro Potlach
A ten-day seminar for 30 invited specialists and one final day
open to the public. The participants followed and compared two
different directors' approaches: those of Sanjukta Panigrahi and of
Eugenio Barba who were working with the same performers on an
interpretation of Kalidasa's Shakuntala.
1st session of the University of Eurasian
Theatre
The Construction of Form
Padova, Italy, 2-8 March 1992
with Eugenio Barba and Odin Teatret
Sanjukta Panigrahi and her musicians
Organised by Teatrocontinuo.
A five-day seminar open to the public with demonstrations of the
creative process by Sanjukta Panigrahi and Odin Teatret's actors,
using Franz Kafka's novel "Before the law". There was also a
two-day seminar on "subtext versus subscore" for 30 invited
specialists.