February 2024 – Inclusive Humanities

Discovering Japanese Theatre

Posted on February 23, 2024October 15, 2024 by martina

On Friday, 15 March, 2024, at 4:30 p.m. in the Aula Magna of the Polo Zanotto (Viale Università 4, Verona), the event “Discovering Japanese Theatre” will take place. This unique event will feature both a practical and theoretical demonstration of the ancient art of Noh, the traditional Japanese theatre, presented by one of its greatest living interpreters, Master Haruhisa Kawamura of the Kawamura Noh Theatre in Kyoto.

For one afternoon, the University of Verona will be immersed in the enchanting traditions of the Far East. The event is promoted by Stefano Aloe, professor in the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures, and Shin’ichi Murata from Sophia University in Tokyo, in collaboration with director Matteo Spiazzi and Nicola Pasqualicchio, professor of Performing Arts at the University of Verona.

“Master Kawamura has extensive experience in introducing the art of Noh to a diverse audience. He has held demonstrations in many cities worldwide, showcasing the unique style, acting, and dance of this extraordinary and ancient form of traditional Japanese theatre”, explains Aloe. “This is Kawamura’s first time in Italy, and Verona will be the central stop of his small tour. It is rare to have the opportunity to experience this form of art in Europe, and given the extraordinary artistic level of our guest, this is truly a not-to-be-missed event for the city”.

Noh is a traditional Japanese theatre form that originated around the 14th century. Declared a UNESCO heritage in 2003, it is regarded as one of Japan’s most significant performing arts. Haruhisa Kawamura, born in Kyoto in 1956, made his stage debut at the age of three under the guidance of his father, Haruo Kawamura. He studied Noh under Master Kiemon Hayashi XIII and has since become one of the leading figures in this traditional Japanese theatre. Kawamura has dedicated himself to promoting Noh both in Japan and internationally, giving more than 50 lectures abroad, including at Harvard University and UNESCO headquarters. In 2005, he was a cultural ambassador for the Agency for Cultural Affairs.

Kawamura strives to embody the spirituality of Noh, an art practiced for over 600 years, and is actively involved in projects aimed at passing this tradition on to future generations.

Photo by courtesy of: (©KinnohoshiWatanabeshashinjo)

Podcast “Inclusioni” Continues with Elodie Chabrol

Posted on February 19, 2024October 15, 2024 by martina

The recordings for the Inclusioni podcast are ongoing and will soon be available on major platforms, in collaboration with Fuori Aula Network. On Thursday, 15 February, Giovanni Tallarico interviewed Elodie Chabrol, a science communication expert (on Instagram and X as @eloscicomm). Elodie was the department’s guest on 15-16 February, 2024, during the seminar “Master Science Communication on Social Media“, a full immersion focused on strategies and actions for communicating Science and Innovation via social media and podcasts.

With a background in Neurogenetics, Chabrol has fully dedicated herself to science outreach. She helped establish Pint of Science, an international science festival that aims to bring contemporary scientific developments to the public by hosting scientists in pubs, cafés, and other public venues to share their research and discoveries. Today, she serves as the festival’s director while also training academics to effectively communicate their research to the public across a wide range of scientific fields.

Sold-Out Event for Noh Theatre

Posted on February 18, 2024October 15, 2024 by martina

On Friday, 15 February, a packed Aula Magna hosted Master Haruhisa Kawamura from the Kawamura Noh Theatre in Kyoto, who travelled from Japan to take the audience on an ideal journey into the world of Noh Theatre, the oldest form of traditional Japanese theatre.

The event, organized by Prof. Stefano Aloe, a Slavic Studies professor from our department, featured the participation of Prof. Shin’ichi Murata from Sophia University in Tokyo, who delivered a lecture on the unique characteristics of Noh theatre. The event was also made possible thanks to the collaboration of director Matteo Spiazzi and Nicola Pasqualicchio, a professor of Performance Studies at the university.

Noh (能) is a traditional form of Japanese theatre that originated in the 14th century. In 2003, it became part of UNESCO’s cultural heritage. However, it is not an easily accessible or widely appreciated genre, both in Japan and abroad, due to its complex symbolism and a performance style that is vastly different from Western theatre.

Noh dramas are performed on a distinctive stage: a square platform elevated about three meters above the audience, topped with a wooden roof. The backdrop always features a painting of a typical Japanese pine tree. Noh actors, who are exclusively men, wear wooden masks to portray the main characters. Despite their faces being covered, actors train for many years so that their bodies and movements become a seamless extension of the masks they wear. The elaborate costumes and wigs, which are highly ornate, are also integral to the character. Some Noh schools have preserved their ancient wardrobes for centuries, with some costumes being historical artefacts in their own right.

Open Classes

Posted on February 14, 2024October 15, 2024 by martina

The Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures is opening its doors to high school students in their third, fourth, and fifth years. From 19 February to 2 March, 2024, students can register for “Open Classes”, which will allow them to attend university lectures. This initiative provides a direct and practical experience of the subjects and teaching methods of the department’s degree courses, offering a chance to spend a few hours alongside future university classmates.

The classes will be held between 4 March and 26 March, mostly in the afternoon.

To participate, students must submit a registration request through this form. The form includes all the details about the available classes (course, topic, time, room, any prerequisites, etc.). It is also possible to select multiple classes to attend in a single form. Each student must fill out the form individually.

Given the limited number of spots, registration will only be confirmed when students receive a confirmation message. Along with the confirmation, a certificate will be provided, which must be printed and signed by the lecturer of the class the student attends.

Contact Person: Prof. Federica Zoppi
Email: federica.zoppi@univr.it

Course: Introduction to Audiovisual Translation (AVT)

Posted on February 4, 2024October 15, 2024 by martina

From 12-15 March, 2024, the free course “Introducción a la traducción audiovisual (TAV): Modalidades tradicionales y accesibilidad a los medios” will take place, led by Juan Pedro Rica Peromingo from the Universidad Complutense de Madrid. The lessons will be held in the Co-working Room of the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures at the University of Verona (Palazzo di Lingue, first floor mezzanine, Lungadige Porta Vittoria 41) and online via this link. Sessions will run from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., with participants from Spain, Cuba, Chile, and from Italy, including the University of Cagliari and the University of Bergamo.

The course aims to introduce participants to the key linguistic, cultural, and technical issues to consider when translating audiovisual content, both in traditional AVT formats (dubbing and subtitles for hearing audiences) and in those related to linguistic accessibility (subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing, and audio description for the blind and visually impaired). The seminar will also cover other types of audiovisual translation, such as subtitling for theatre (opera and musicals), voice-over, and live subtitling.

The course is free of charge and will be conducted in Spanish. Those wishing to participate must register by 12:00 p.m. (Italian time) on March 10, 2024, by filling out this form by the deadline.