https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/131622 Wed, 22 Apr 2026 03:26:05 GMT 2026-04-22T03:26:05Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/145574 Title: Stage expressiveness in romantic ballet : investigating how a dancer’s gestural vocabulary can contribute to a more authentic and emotional performance Abstract: This dissertation analyses how introducing each dancer’s personal expressiveness and gestural vocabulary, making room for individuality and diversity in interpretation, influences romantic ballet performance by allowing dancers to showcase authenticity, which can lead to a more emotional performance. The paper also analyses the way nonverbal communication is perceived by the artists on stage, as well as audience, and how can that offer insights about the current pantomime used in ballet performances. Moreover, it is questioning whether dancers could express themselves more freely on stage if the choreographed gestures would be eliminated from ballet. The aim of this research is to discover whether ballet performances could become more meaningful by changing the approach on ballet pantomime and the dancers’ training. This study contains insights on the connection between gestures and the psychology behind them. It analyses the link between the details of nonverbal communication and how the brain perceives it and creates emotional responses to it. Another important aspect presented is the introduction of actor training techniques into the dancers’ training which, alongside to the analysis coming from psychology, would detect if that results into a more emotional response in terms of expression. Therefore, half of the practical research was concentrated on exposing ballet dancers to techniques that help the performer connect to their characters, access emotions easier and help them connect to and actively respond to a partner, inspired by the Rasaboxes exercises and the Orazio Costa Mimic Method. In order to collect data, I created and analysed the results of an online survey about original ballet pantomime in comparison to the reconstructed pantomime created during the practical research inspired by actor training. Furthermore, by reconstructing a scene from the ballet Giselle, as well as choreographing a short piece that followed the structure of a ballet performance, valuable data was registered about how gestural vocabulary affects performance, from both the performers point of view as well as the audience’s. This research is of great significance as it promotes the revision of ballet pantomime, as well as the introduction of acting for dancers as part of dance schools’ curriculum. Moreover, it underlines that important parts of a dancer’s training are neglected that should be more worked upon. Description: M.A.(Melit.) Wed, 01 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/145574 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/144130 Title: Comparative analysis of performance issues and piano idiom in chosen compositions of Amy Beach and Valborg Aulin Abstract: Western classical music has historically been dominated by men, with women composers generally being denied prominence or canonical prestige. It was challenging for women to establish themselves as creative equals to men owing to social, cultural, and institutional barriers. This dissertation examines the works of two women composers from the late nineteenth century, Amy Beach (1867–1944) from the United States and Valborg Aulin (1860–1928) from Sweden. Despite emerging from different musical environments, their works exhibit significant stylistic similarities, even as each composer cultivated a unique and individual musical idiom. The research largely investigates two early works: Beach's Ballad Op. 6 and Aulin's Piano Sonata Op. 14, Grande Sonate sérieuse. Beach s Four Sketches Op. 15 and Aulin s Three Fantasy Pieces Op. 30 are also briefly addressed. Written at an early stage in each composer's career, these pieces are analysed through the perspective of performance practice, devoting particular attention to pianistic idiom, technical difficulties, expressive demands, and interpretive possibilities. Aulin's formal training in Sweden, Denmark, and France contrasts with Beach's mostly self-taught upbringing in Boston's conservative environment. The study also considers the impact of musical education, geographic and cultural context, and exposure to modern trends. This performance-based method emphasises the works distinctive voices while situating them within late-Romantic musical contexts by integrating score analysis with the real-life experience of preparing for the performance and finally playing the pieces. By delivering the first comparative performance-focused examination of these two composers piano works, the study addresses a scholarly gap and gives particular attention to the under-represented Aulin about whom little has been written in English language. This study aims to expand the canon, inspire historically informed performance, and contribute to a wider appreciation of women's creative accomplishments in nineteenth-century music by showcasing their artistry and recording interpretative observations. Description: Ph.D.(Melit.) Wed, 01 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/144130 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/138263 Title: Il-Ħadd fuq il-Bejt : looking contextually into Francis Ebejer’s acclaimed play Abstract: This long essay will discuss Il-Ħadd fuq il-Bejt, one of Francis Ebejer’s most celebrated theatrical works, exploring its significance within the broader socio-political and cultural contexts of the sixties and seventies. By examining the play’s portrayal of personal and societal tensions, the long essay will highlight how Ebejer masterfully captures the complexities of a post-colonial Malta, grappling with themes of change whilst maintaining tradition. Besides a detailed analysis of the characters, the setting and the play’s impact on Maltese theatre, the essay also investigates the premiere of Il-Ħadd fuq il-Bejt at the Manoel Theatre in 1971, drawing on documentation from the national theatre’s archives. It explores how the production managed to attract large audiences, the critical acclaim it received and the subsequent reinterpretations through tributes, amateur performances and adaptations into other media such as television. Finally, the long essay reflects on whether the play, over five decades later, can still resonate with contemporary audiences and considers how a modern staging could preserve Ebejer’s original intentions while adapting it to current theatrical practices. Description: B.Theatre. (Hons)(Melit.) Wed, 01 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/138263 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/138262 Title: Exploring the devising process in youth theatre : the case of Ignite Theatre company Abstract: This essay proposes that participating and engaging with the devising process within young theatre groups improves the creative ability, collaboration skills, and overall growth of actors. The essay begins by looking at the theoretical basis of devised theatre as well as youth theatre, with a special emphasis on their advantages for performers. This first part is informed by key books such as Alison Oddey’s Devising Theatre: A Practical and Theoretical Handbook (1994) and Deirdre Heddon and Jane Milling’s Devising Performance: A Critical History (2006), both of which provide insights into how devised theatre nurtures creativity, improvisation, and group work. Michael Richardson’s Youth Theatre: Drama for Life (2015) highlights the importance of youth theatre and how it can be implemented. An in-depth case study of Ignite, a youth theatre group recognised in Malta for its innovative performances, supports and exemplifies the research in the second part of the essay. The case study involves interviews with the company’s director and participants. This part focuses on the context and background of the company, as well as an exploration of the company’s devising methods. Ignite’s practical work is considered through an examination of their specific methods, including workshops, improvisation, and collaborative scriptwriting to see how ideas are created, developed, and perfected with aim of designing the final show. The case study findings highlight the advantages for performers, such as improved creative thinking, flexibility, and ensemble abilities. The conclusion summarises major observations from the case study and analysis and discusses the consequences for actor development. Description: B.Theatre. (Hons)(Melit.) Wed, 01 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/138262 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z