Molière’s ‘Turkish Ceremony’ and Other turqueries Performed in 18th-Century théâtre de college
Résumé
Molière’s Le Bourgeois gentilhomme and its iconic ‘Turkish Ceremony’ met with great success at the Comédie-Française, and was adopted for performance, with some modifications, by the French collèges. These educational institutions were intellectual and scientific hubs, known also for their staged performances that often played a major role in the theatrical and artistic lives of their cities. There are two surviving mid-18th century adaptations of Le Bourgeois gentilhomme for collège stages. The first, dating from 1750, was performed at the Jesuit collège Louis-le-Grand in Paris; the second was staged at the collège of the Chanoines Réguliers of Ste. Geneviève in Nanterre in 1753. After presenting the context of these two performances and analysing the re-use of the Molièresque topos, I will examine how Molière’s ‘Turkish Ceremony’ fits into the tradition of the Turquerie as performed in collège theatres. I will also attempt to define what these Turqueries tell us about the perception of Turks and Turkey – or rather, the Ottoman Empire – in the 18th-century collèges.
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