Osterspiele. Structure of the Lecture Series. Introduction: From Osterfeier to Osterspiel. Paper IX. Henrike Lähnemann.

Transcription

1 Paper IX Osterspiele Henrike Lähnemann Hilary Term 2016 Structure of the Lecture Series Introduction Week 1: From Osterfeier to Osterspiel Special event: Thursday, 5pm: Inaugural Lecture (Taylor Institution Lecture Hall) The Materiality of Medieval Manuscripts followed by drinks! The Innsbrucker Osterspiel Week 2: Setting the Scene Week 3: Guarding the Tomb, Hell s Teeth Week 4: Sex and Drugs Week 5: Visiting the Tomb The Osterspiel von Muri Week 6: Making Hell The Material Background Week 7: Breaking Hell The Dramatic Setting Perspectives Week 8: The Visitatio Sepulchri across the ages The three Marys in dialogue with the angels guarding the tomb. Wall painting in Kloster Wienhausen (Lower Saxony), 14th cent. Text of the scrolls: Mark 16:6 We are looking for Jesus of Nazareth who was crucified He is risen, go and tell the others 2 Introduction: From Osterfeier to Osterspiel Timeline Osterspiel The Biblical Base for the Easter Plays Liturgical Place for Dialogue The Visitatio Sepulchri and Osterfeier The Chi Rho with a wreath symbolizing the victory of the Resurrection, above Roman soldiers, ca

2 1. The development of the Osterspiel Beginning of the Tradition in the liturgical celebration of Easter (Easter Ceremonial / Osterfeier), increasingly built up by scenic elements Development first of Latin, then of vernacular plays (Easter Plays / Osterspiele) > 900 Latin Osterfeiern > 1200 Latin Osterspiele > 1250 German / mixed Osterspiele Resurrection and Ascension Italy 4 th /5 th cent. Inv.-Nr. MA 157, Bayerisches Nationalmuseum 4 2. The Biblical Base a) The Passion 1) Entry to Jerusalem 2) Driving out Money Changers 16) Crucifixion 17) Descent from Cross 15) Christ nailed to the Cross 3) Betrayal of Judas 18) Entombement 11) Crown of Thorns 4) Last Supper 7) Denial of Peter 8) Christ before Pilate 10) Pilate s Interrogation 9) Flagellation 12) Ecce Homo 5) Gethsemane 13) Making of the Cross 6) Arrest 14) Carrying the Cross Hans Memling: Scenes from the Passion of Christ (c. 1470) 5 2. The Biblical Base b) The Resurrection 5) Appearance before the Apostles 4) On the Road to Emmaus 3) Meeting Mary Magdalene ( Noli me tangere / Hortulanus Scene) 2) Resurrection 1) Christ in Limbo ( Harrowing of Hell ) Hans Memling: Scenes from the Passion of Christ (c. 1470) 6 2

3 Biblical Base for Events Picked up in the Plays Yellow = standard version in the Osterspiele Earliest manuscript representation of the angel at the tomb and the Noli me Guarding the tomb tangere in Rabbula Gospels (Syria 586) Jews ask for the guard (Matthew 27:62-66) The guards fall to the ground when the angel appears (Mt 28:4) Guards report the empty tomb, are told to say it has been stolen (Mt 28:11-15) Ointment bought, prepared or part of the burial package? Bought by Mary Magdalene, Mary Jacobe and Salome (Mark 16:1) Prepared by female disciples / Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary Jacob (Luke 23:56) Anointed with a mix of myrrh and aloe by Nicodemus (John 19:39-40) Visiting the Tomb onesome, twosome, threesome? Mary Magdalene and other Mary witness stone removal by an angel (Mt 28:2-7) Three Marys see empty tomb with a youth inside (Mk 16:2-7) Women see empty tomb and meet two men in shiny garments (Lk 24:3-10) Mary Magdalene sees the empty tomb, later two angels in there (Jo 20:1) 7 Christ greets two Marys with Avete, avete (Dombibliothek Hildesheim J 29, 1478) Biblical Basis for Events Picked up in the Plays Reporting to the disciples keeping stumm? Two Marys report to the disciples with trembling and joy (Mt 28:8) Three Marys flee trembling and tell nobody (Mk 16:8) Three women report to eleven disciples and others who don t believe (Lk 24:3-10) Mary Magdalene reports empty tomb to Peter and the disciple whom Jesus loved (Jo 20:2) Tomb Run of the Disciples (Jo 20:3) Later reports her encounter with Christ as gardener to the disciples (Jo 20:18) Encountering Jesus who comes first? Two Marys are greeted by Jesus on way back from tomb (Mt 28:9) Christ appears to the Mary Magdalene, then to two disciples on the way (Mk 16:9) Christ walks with two disciples to Emmaus, breaking of bread (Lk 24:13-35) Christ talks to Mary Magdalene Noli me tangere, Hortulanus scene (Jo 20:14-17) Further Apparitions of Christ eating, doubting, touching Eleven disciples in Galilee Ascension (Mt 27:16) Eleven disciples while they are eating (Mk 16:14) Eleven disciples and other followers Ascension (Luke 24:36) Disciples without Thomas, Thomas, at the Sea of Galilee (John 20/21) 8 From Bible to Play via Liturgy 1 Antiphon Quem quaeritis The antiphon Quem quaeritis (end of 10 th century) turns the biblical lines into a rhyming dialogue for the Easter liturgy Quaestio. Quem quaeritis in sepulchro, o Christicolae? Responsio. Jesum Nazarenum crucifixum, o caelicolae. Angeli. Non est hic; surrexit, sicut praedixerat. Ite, nuntiate quia surrexit de sepulchro Question [by the angel]: Whom do you seek in the tomb, o followers of Christ? Answer [by the Marys]: The crucified Jesus of Nazareth, o heavenly beings. Angels: He is not here; he is risen, just as he foretold. Go, announce that he is risen from the sepulchre. fol. 298vb (c. 1300) with Quem quaeritis -dialogue followed by the sequence Victimae paschali laudes 9 3

4 From Bible to Play via Liturgy 2 Sequence Victimae paschali The sequence Victimae paschali laudes (11 th century) adds theological interpretation to it by turning this into a dialogue between Mary Magdalene and the congregation. Victimae paschali laudes immolent Christiani. Let Christians offer sacrificial praises to the passovervictim Agnus redemit oves: The lamb has redeemed the sheep: Christus innocens Patri The Innocent Christ has reconciled reconciliavit peccatores. the sinners to the Father. Death and life contended Mors et vita duello in a spectacular battle: conflixere mirando: the Prince of life, who died, reigns alive. dux vitae mortuus, regnat vivus. fol. 298vb (c. 1300) with Quem quaeritis -dialogue followed by the sequence Victimae paschali laudes 10 From Bible to Play via Liturgy 2 Sequence Victimae paschali The sequence Victimae paschali laudes (11 th century) adds theological interpretation to it by turning this into a dialogue between Mary Magdalene and the congregation. Dic nobis Maria, quid vidisti in via? Tell us, Mary, what did you see on the road? "I saw the tombof the living Christ Sepulcrum Christi viventis, and the glory of his rising, et gloriam vidi resurgentis: The angelic witnesses, the clothes and the shroud." Angelicos testes, sudarium, et vestes. Surrexit Christus spes mea: praecedet suos [vos] in Galilaeam. "Christ my hope is arisen; into Galilee, he will go before his own." fol. 299ra (c. 1300) second part of the sequence Victimae paschali laudes 11 Visitatio Sepulchri as Centre of Osterfeier Antiphon and sequence originally sung antiphonally with two choirs Soloists then start to take over the parts and to move in front of the choirs Start acting out the scene, e.g. showing the shroud Becomes the centre of the Osterfeier and kept as core scene for Osterspiele Scroll of the angel: Surrexit sicut dixit dominus (The Lord is risen as he said) Visitatio sepulchri in a manuscript from c. 1200, Kloster Weingarten (Württembergische Landesbibliothek Stuttgart HB I 55) 12 4

5 Development of the Easter Ceremonial (Osterfeier) Ceremonials part of the liturgy, performed in the sacred space of the church Position after the Depositio and Elevatio Crucis, before the Tedeum No clear distinction between Easter Ceremonial and Divine Service Purpose of the performance not didactic but part of adoration Acted by clergy Staging of the ceremonial around the altar as representing the holy sepulchre Not re-enactment of historical event or theatrical illusion but stylisation and symbolism 13 The Zwiefalten Osterfeier D-Sl, Cod. bibl. 4 36, fol. 123v [fol. 122v] Tertia Responsorio denuo percantato tres presbyteri sive diaconi albis cappis induti capita humeralibus obvoluta habentes et thuribula cum incenso in manibus tenentes progrediuntur ad altare, ubi paratum est sepulcrum Domini, cantantes multum suppressa voce: IIa Quis revolvet nobis ab ostio lapidem, quem tegere sanctum cernimus sepulcrum? Qua finita subsistunt [fol. 123r] non longe ab illis duobus fratribus, qui induti dalmaticis velatis similiter capitibus sedent infra sepulcrum, quique statim subinferunt hanc: Ib Quem queritis in sepulcro, o christicole? Econtra isti, qui vicem mulierum agunt, respondent: Ic Iesum Nazarenum crucifixum, o celicole 14 Preparation for Week 2 Read and compare the Resurrection in the four Gospels Read the first part of the Innsbrucker Osterspiel Prologue (Line 1-40) Wächterspiel (Line ) Analyse the Prologue How is the audience addressed? What are the main plot elements mentioned? What can you find out about the performance situation from the text? What is the role of the Expositor Ludi? The Guards in uproar See them at the Ashmolean: Jacopo Robusti, called Tintoretto ( ) The Resurrection of Christ 15 5