Eighteenth-century France is understood to have been the dominant cultural power on that era's international scene. Considering the emblematic case of the theater, Rahul Markovits goes beyond the idea of "French Europe" to offer a serious consideration of the intentions and goals of those involved in making this so. Drawing on extensive archival research, Staging Civilization reveals that between 1670 and 1815 at least twenty-seven European cities hosted resident theater troupes composed of French actors and singers who performed French-language repertory. By examining the presence of French companies of actors in a wide set of courts and cities throughout Europe, Markovits uncovers the complex mechanisms underpinning the dissemination of French culture. The book ultimately offers a revisionist account of the traditional Europe francaise thesis, engaging topics such as transnational labor history, early-modern court culture and republicanism, soft power, and cultural imperialism.
About the AuthorRahul Markovits is Associate Professor of History at the Ecole Normale Superieure and author of
Civiliser l'Europe: Politiques du theatre francais au XVIIIe siecle.
Jane Marie Todd has translated more than eighty books for trade and university presses, including Olivier Wieviorka's The French Resistance.
Book InformationISBN 9780813945545
Author Rahul MarkovitsFormat Hardback
Page Count 384
Imprint University of Virginia PressPublisher University of Virginia Press
Weight(grams) 700g