Tales from the stage : aspects of Hospitaller forms of cultural entertainment (1530-1798)

Abstract

The aim of the present dissertation is to study Hospitaller modes of entertainment and spectacle, and to relate their contribution in this field to the rest of the Order of St John’s political, economic, social and cultural establishments on the Maltese archipelago. My intention in drawing up this analytical dissertation derives from my innate love for the theatre, with dance and music in particular. Hence, I could look no further than the Order of St John to delve, in so much detail and with so much enthusiasm, into a theme that has not hitherto been hugely popular with historians. The primary purpose is therefore to evaluate the culture of the Hospitallers, especially in terms of the novel concept of the baroque. The Order of St John left an indelible imprint on the cultural sphere of Malta and the Maltese. Because of the word limit imposed by the regulations governing the degree, the present dissertation will focus on one aspect of this grand cultural legacy – entertainment and spectacle. The term ‘Cultural Entertainment’ encompasses the cultural pursuits of the Hospitaller institution on Malta, ranging from the high culture facet of theatre-making up to the secular rituals performed on the islands. Ritual played a fundamental role in consolidating the theatrical dimension the Order of St John is so well-known for. The nature of the general theme, and the fact that it has hardly ever been studied at any acceptable depth rendered my approach, out of necessity, an unavoidable mixture of narrative and analysis. The narrative has been felt necessary to establish the facts without which the whole work would have been difficult to comprehend fully.