Women, Weddings, and Reversals: Leone de'Sommi's "Comedy of Betrothal"

Department: Jewish Studies

Date and Time: March 12, 2019 | 6:00 PM-8:00 PM

Event Location: Winifred Smith Hall

Event Details



Women, Weddings, and Reversals: Leone de' Sommi's "Comedy of Betrothal": Dramatic Readings with Commentary


Ariane Helou (UCLA), Erith Jaffe-Berg (UC Riverside), Elsa Martinez (UCLA), and Daniel Stein Kokin (UCLA and Universität Greifswald)

Written in Mantua, Italy ca. 1550, Leone de' Sommi's Tzaḥut bediḥuta de-kiddushin (Comedy of Betrothal) is the oldest known Hebrew-language play. It also constitutes a compelling synthesis of both Italian and Jewish culture, obeying the conventions of Commedia dell'arte while at the same time borrowing heavily from both biblical and rabbinic literature. This performance-cum-symposium examines the Comedy against the backdrop of the history of the Jews of Mantua and explores Leone de' Sommi as a dramatic artist; his use and subversion of classical Jewish sources; and the significance of the Comedy of Betrothal's location in Sidon, Lebanon. It also devotes special attention to the Jewish holiday of Purim, for which the Comedy was written as entertainment and during the season of which its plot is set. Indeed this program's playful intermixing of the theatrical and the academic represents the perfect preparation for this carnivalesque festival, which in 2019 takes place on March 20th and 21st. Readings mostly in English (with samplings of Hebrew and Italian for flavor).

This event is free and open to the public. Registration is required: (https://www.eventbrite.com/e/a-jewish-renaissance-comedy-tickets-56952776287)

Co-sponsored by the UCI Center for Jewish Studies, UCI Group for the Study of Early Cultures and UCI Shakespeare Center.