Symbolon is an academic journal published by the UArtPress Publishing House of the University of Arts Târgu Mureș, available in both print (ISSN 1582-327X) and online (ISSN 2344-4460) formats since 2000. The journal publishes peer-reviewed articles, studies and reviews, covering various aspects in the fields of theatre and performing arts, film and media, and music, encouraging research from a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary perspective. It is indexed by ERIH PLUS, CEEOL, DOAJ, Crossref, Index Copernicus, Google Scholar, International Archive of Theatre Journals, and ranked B by CNCS. The journal is archived by CEEOL and PKP. The University of Arts Târgu Mureș attained the “High Confidence” ranking granted by ARACIS (Romanian Agency for Quality Assurance in Higher Education), and its curricula are at the top of art universities in Romania.
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Corpul ca poveste: dansul ca formă de narațiune emoțională și fizică
Body as Story: Dance as a Form of Emotional and Physical Narrative Body as Story explores how dance transforms movement into a narrative language as a way of exploring and conveying human experiences. The aesthetic function of dance transcends bodily barriers and transforms into a form of emotional communication in which the body becomes the protagonist of the narrative, narrating through movement the same conflicts, emotions and situations that are usually expressed in words. Performances by choreographers such as Pina Bausch, Merce Cunningham, William Forsythe, Anna Teresa De Keersmaeker, Sidri Larbi Cherkaoui, Gigi Căciuleanu, etc. have shown how movement can create an atmosphere of introspection, where time, space and rhythm are used to reflect the inner realities of the characters. Thus, dance becomes not just a physical act, but a narrative device that opens up new ways of understanding the human experience, where the body is both the messenger and the story. Choreographers create characters and stories through the dancer's body, and each movement says something about their inner feelings. In both choreographic and theatrical performances dance plays an important role in facilitating the psychological exploration of the characters, building conflicts, resolving them or intensifying the message intended for the audience. Through movement, the body becomes a fundamental element in the construction of dramaturgy, sometimes even possessing a textual function.
Copyright (c) 2025 Cristina Maria Olar https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Az újraszervezés gyakorlata: mozgástervezés
The Practice of Reorganization: Movement Composition Movement composition is a fundamental practice in the training system I use, focused on organizing conscious movement material. It is integrated throughout the educational process, running parallel to the teaching of movement techniques and skill development. The pedagogical aim is to develop proficiency in organizing the actor’s movement material. Through physical experience, movement composition shows that the actor’s presence can be seen as an independent layer of the theatrical performance. It fosters a deep awareness of the actor’s relationship with space, time, and movement, exploring their potential in the creative process. While the movement score created may not be a full theatrical scene, it carries the potential for one, providing participants with the experience of theatrical creation from the early stages of training. Movement composition emphasizes that the actor is a co-creator in the artistic process, not merely a performer, taking responsibility for various aspects of the creation.
Copyright (c) 2025 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
The Bodymind Connection: Asian Practices and the Transformation of Western Theatre
"This paper explores the profound influence of Asian theatrical traditions on 20th-century Western theatre. Artaud’s seminal encounter with Balinese theatre inspired his concept of a ‘physical language’ beyond words. This notion catalyzed a broader Western turn towards Eastern practices, emphasizing the actor's body as a primary medium for performance. The discussion highlights the divergent applications of Asian techniques among practitioners. Central to this analysis is the evolution of the psychophysical actor—a concept rooted in Stanislavski’s late work, further developed through contemporary neuroscience and psychology. This paradigm posits a seamless integration of body and mind, enabling actors to cultivate an ‘inner improvisation’ that transcends textual interpretation. Drawing on practices like tai chi, kalarippayattu, and yoga, practitioners refine their somatic awareness, fostering a state of heightened presence and responsiveness, or ‘bodymind’. The paper argues that the integration of Asian techniques not only enriched the technical repertoire of Western actors but also redefined the ontology of acting itself. By prioritizing the actor’s embodied experience and dissolving the dichotomy between text and performance, these innovations laid the groundwork for contemporary devised theatre and the actor-as-creator paradigm."
Paradigmaváltás a táncművészetben: a mozgás tudományos megközelítése
Paradigm Shift in Dance: the Scientific Approach to Movement In my paper, I would like to briefly review the main periods of dance history in the 20th century and the changes in the approach to dance art, from which I conclude that a new system approach can be defined. The paradigm shift is made possible by the existence of measurement tools that allow us to obtain information about the properties of movements, even during movement, that are not visible to the naked eye. By using the measurement results of technical tools, we can restructure existing movements. We can call this process a paradigm shift because the integration of technical tools helps the dancer, teacher and choreographer to understand the kinematic properties of movement more precisely, regardless of the dance form language, so that they can define and use gestures and movements even more accurately. Such tools include motion capture, electroencephalography, electromyography and force plate. The scientific approach to movement can be successfully used in the development of several innovative directions, to which I am attempting to contribute by developing a system of affective movement pedagogy. Instrumental examinations can not only help in understanding movement, but also in digitizing movements, thus more accurately preserving and recording them, which was also attempted in the performing arts environment in the 20th century. The integration of instrumental measurement of movement can promote the broad researchability of human movement, and with it the development of the science of dance and theatre.
„DaDaDans”: un spectacol unic în peisajul teatral românesc de la finalul anilor '90
“DaDaDans”: A Unique Performance in the Romanian Theater Landscape of the 90s DaDaDans, the third project initiated by the 777 Theater Company and developed in partnership with Nottara Theater, was, for many reasons, a unique show in the Romanian theatrical landscape of the late 90s. Using both an unusual way of working for that period – collective creation, and a distinct way of using the elements that make up a performance (a way rather more specific to postdramatic theater than to the dramatic theatre), DaDaDans represented, indeed, a different theatrical solution in relation to the cultural style that dominated in 1999 the local performing arts landscape. The present paper aims to develop the above-mentioned aspects, while at the same time trying to account for both the main ingredients used in the construction of this performance and the reaction of the environment in which this artistic challenge was launched.
Gigi Căciuleanu și cele patru spectacole de teatru coregrafic de la Târgu-Mureș
Gigi Căciuleanu and His Four Choreographic Theatre Productions in Târgu-Mureș An emblematic figure of Romanian and international contemporary dance, Gigi Căciuleanu is recognized for his innovative contribution in choreography and, especially, in choreographic theatre. With a career that spans several decades, he has managed to combine tradition with modernity, creating a distinctive style that reflects not only local but also international influences. His artistic career has fortunately intersected with the theatre of Târgu-Mureș, the relationship between Gigi Căciuleanu and the local cultural environment materializing in the appearance of four choreographic theatre productions (“Jungla X”, “Carmina Burana”, “Vivaldi and the Seasons”, “GGworld”) which have been significant landmarks for the two producing institutions (Ariel Theatre for Children and Youth and the Târgu-Mureș National Theatre). Beyond the impact of these productions on the public, the critics and the local theatrical scene, we can say that the artist Gigi Căciuleanu found, in Târgu-Mureș, the perfect conditions to create and put into practice his ideas about the philosophy of choreographic theatre, the mechanisms of the dancers' functioning and, last, but not least, about his unique spectacular aesthetics. The present paper aims to present the importance of these choreographic theatre performances for the cultural history of Târgu-Mureș as well as the impact that Gigi Căciuleanu's presence had on the acting companies he worked with.
„Leölni és leölelni”. Raubinek Lili „Respect for the 23.000” című koreográfiájához
"To Slay and Embrace". On the Choreography of Lili Raubinek’s “Respect for the 23.000” Is it possible to find a language for unnarratable and seemingly hopeless human anger, powerlessness, and pain that not only performatively represents the experiences of those directly affected – individuals who have been in state care – but also consciously attempts to manage its impact on the audience? This article explores and analyzes Lili Raubinek's recently Lábán Rudolf Award-winning performance “Respect for the 23.000” from the perspectives of dance, movement, and touch. Drawing inspiration from the movement language of Brazilian jiu-jitsu martial arts, the performance represents an experimental attempt to kinetically capture sensations of powerlessness, violence, confinement, and destruction—depicting an ultimate, unresolvable struggle. The performance strategically addresses the potentially traumatizing audience experience through a post-performance ""decompression"" phase: the negative, destructive physical interactions are ultimately dissolved by soft, reciprocal relaxation practices. This approach represents a genuinely political theatrical intervention. Initiated with a lecture performance format and featuring five dancers, the work contemplates the world of a marginalized youth demographically rendered invisible within social space—young individuals who have been systematically abandoned and traumatized, not only by their families but continuously by state institutions. All of this occurs against a backdrop of societal indifference.
How to Do Things With(out?) Words - The Dramaturgy of Dance and Movement in Jérôme Bel's “Gala”
As a multidisciplinary approach, this research is based on the works of thinkers like Roman Jakobson, Yuval Noah Harari, Charles Darwin, William Shakespeare, Adolphe Appia, Martin Esslin, Hans-Thies Lehmann et al. Its train of thought follows the theory that everything is a code and that even nonverbal communication relies, just like its verbal counterpart, on words as omnipresent in our individual and social existence, from the cradle to the grave. Words are, more often than not, equated here not only linguistically, with lexemes (Ulrike Mosel), but also, philosophically, with any kind of encoded thoughts, in the signification given to them by Jacques Derrida as parts of an all-encompassing text. A parallel between the stage and the world in terms of human communication is drawn in the hereby study by isolating the verbal and the nonverbal manner of conveying emotion and, thus, meaning, with a particular emphasis on Jérôme Bel's 2015 highly-rated performance, “Gala”, viewed as an example of good practices in the dramaturgy of dance and movement. The research method is connected to dialectics and it becomes visible in the dissection of an algorithm (‘with’ -, without -, ‘with and without’ - words), while the research methodology includes elements of cultural anthropology, linguistics, philosophy, semantics, semiology, aesthetics, and, last but not least, performing arts studies.
Ritmul contrastelor în „Cum vă place” de William Shakespeare
The Rhythm of Contrasts in "As You Like It" by William Shakespeare Peter Brook noted that much of the spirit in a successful production of "As You Like It" „comes from the juxtaposing of scenes written in different keys”. This juxtaposition can be interpreted metaphorically as a dance, in which each change in tone, rhythm, and energy contributes to the overall dynamics of the play. The movement of the characters in space and time is fundamental to the unfolding of the action and the exploration of central themes. The change of space and the flow of time provide the characters with the opportunity to reinvent themselves, heal, and achieve a harmonious and celebratory ending characteristic of Shakespearean comedies. In this play, Shakespeare also explores identity, with masks serving as a symbol of transformation, ambiguity, and self-discovery. And the central question is: How does illusion interact with reality? Is identi-ty a fixed point or a fluid chain of ideas? In this paper, we will try to explore the play "As You Like It" from the perspective of a theatrical choreography of emotions, ideas, and relationships, in which the „dance of personalities” creates a vibrant performance, in which each character contributes with their own „rhythm” to the overall harmony.
Júlia és Julieta. Mihai Măniuțiu: „Julieta” című rendezése
Júlia and Julieta. Mihai Măniuțiu: „Julieta” András Visky's play, „Júlia” was first staged by Gábor Tompa in 2002, with Enikő Szilágyi portraying the main character, Júlia in a minimalist and static performance, including closed-eye acting. This was a joint production of the Hungarian State Theatre of Cluj and Thália Theatre from Budapest. In contrast, the 2005 staging, titled Julieta, directed by Mihai Măniuțiu at the National Theatre of Cluj, featured Vava Ștefănescu in a dynamic, physical theatre. My analysis delves into how these two theatrical interpretations complement each other by showcasing contrasting approaches to the same dramatic text.
Facerea și desfacerea persoanei-colective liminale prin dans – „Toi, moi, Tituba‟, de Dorothée Munyaneza
The Making and Unmaking of the Liminal Collective-Person – „Toi, moi, Tituba‟, by Dorothée Munyaneza I am the descendant of a shepherd male-witch whose practices were condemned by the community and whose descendants changed their place and name. I am interested in marginal existences and I use insights from the theory of the dramaturgy of liminality developed in my doctoral thesis, as well as insights from Elsa Dorlin's article and from writings by Silvia Federici and VK Preston to show the making of the witch – the making of the image of the cunning woman who uses her craft to do evil –, and then to show how Dorothée Munyaneza has succeeded in the dramaturgical act of (almost-magical) undoing of this image. “Toi, moi, Tituba” is the choreographic, dramaturgical and magical act by which Tituba, witch-slave-woman and liminal collective-person is unravelled, step by step, into the true, oppressed, sensual, gifted and luminous existences that have been hidden, intentionally or unintentionally, into her character.
Útkeresés mozgásban. „Az út végén a folyó” című előadásról
Research in Movement. About the "The River at the End of the Road" The Hans-Thies Lehmannian concept of chora-graphy is not only the latest attempt to describe contemporary theatre, but inevitably refers back to the beginnings that can be recalled. Thus, a less emphasized but more important aspect of the concept of chora-graphy arises: its approach from the side of movement in addition to (and below) space (spatialization) and speech. At the same time, chora-graphy brings into the picture the search for a movement or form of movement that confronts our own affective unconscious, that is, it provides us with traces of the search for a language, of the negotiation between ’insides’ and ’outsides’. In principle, any of the theatrical sign systems can generate or trigger affects, but this is mostly related to the actor's work, especially to the actor's voice and movement, and especially to the actor's timbre or, in the case of movement, to unexpected, undecidable movements that do not constitute choreography in the traditional sense. The present thesis deals with the research of movement in post-dramatic theatre in this context, and this theoretical framework was set in motion in an unexpected and refreshing way by the performance entitled „The River at the End of the Road”, realized within the framework of the University of Arts in Târgu Mureş.
Zene, ritmus, tánc és szakralitás. Balla Zsófia rendszerváltás előtti költészetében
Movement, Dance, and Sacredness in Zsófia Balla's Pre-Regime Change Poetry In Zsófia Balla's pre-regime change poetry, rhythmic movement or dance serves as a metaphor for the increasingly oppressive and unbearable atmosphere of the communist regime, as well as a symbol of survival and freedom. Alongside a tragic-ironic tone, her radically individual-centered poetry boldly incorporates playfulness, the joy of song and movement, the liberating and tension-relieving effects of instinctive expression and frankness, along with the lightness of rhyme and musicality. Movement holds an important place in Balla's oeuvre, starting with her first volume, “A dolgok emlékezete” (“The Memory of Things”), published in 1968. For instance, in “Futónövény” (“Creeper”), it is associated with carefree childhood play but later evokes images of a fear of heights and vertigo. In the closing lines of “Pengetés” (“Plucking”), movement signifies the soul's yearning for the sacrality, while in the later poem, “PaterNoster”, it juxtaposes the destructive, inhuman workings of machinery with the deeply personal nature of memory and prayer. By the 1980s, music, dance, and connections to the sacred became unifying formal motifs in Balla's poetry. The volume “Kolozsvári táncok” (“Kolozsvár Dances”) represents an attempt to dialogue, addressing an enigmatic, unknown individual – a mysterious dance partner, perhaps God – whose presence is only perceptible in traces but profoundly influences lyrical self-reflection and the perception of reality. The study seeks how rhythm, movement, music, and dance function as metaphors for freedom, life-affirmation, and dialogue with the sacred in Zsófia Balla's poetry before the regime change in Romania. It focuses on poetic gestures where artistic forms serve as tools of resistance, survival, and protest against the identity- and personality-destroying manifestations of the communist dictatorship.
Painting With the Body Ballet has been around since the 14th or 15th century and has influenced many artists. A unique person who changed the classical paradigm of ballet is Shahar Binyamini. He managed to revolutionize dance and break from the rigid norms created over the centuries, reaching amazing forms of bodily expression. He danced in the Batsheva dance company from 2006 to 2013, where he performed extensively in the repertoire of choreographers Ohad Naharin and Sharon Eyal. There, he developed a unique style that combines contemporary dance techniques with a deep exploration of human expression. Throughout his career, he has worked with some of the most influential names in contemporary dance, enriching his own choreographic vocabulary. After leaving the Batsheva dance company, Shahar began his international choreographic journey. Shahar Binyamini's choreography continues to challenge and expand the boundaries of contemporary dance, establishing him as a key figure of the global artistic scene.
A „The Journey” társulattal Schubert nyomában
Following Schubert with "The Journey" Company There is no denying that the conference call published by the University of Arts of Târgu Mureș, which focuses on dance and movement, really managed to mention a wide variety of genres. However, this is clearly not among them. “Winter journey in song and dance. An extraordinary and particularly impressive interpretation of Schubert's master cycle in many respects: Juliane Banse sings and dances. The Winter Journey in dialogue with dancer István Simon - a dense and intense evening that, according to Andreas Heise, allows for a different musical approach, taking the audience on a multidimensional journey of sound and image,"" we read in the 2022 advertisement of the Wilhelma Theater in Stuttgart. Schubert's song cycle Winter Journey was presented by The Journey company in Târgu Mureș on March 18, 2023, in the Big hall of the Palace of Culture. The production promoted a fusion of dance, music, and singing, but knowing the musical work, the question rightly arises: how can abstract ideas in dance be represented through body contact and dance technique? The choreographer of The Journey's Schubert performance may have encountered a similar question. In his approach, he probably shared the opinion of Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau. The baritone singer speaks of a terrifying intensity, given the expression of suffering. This intensity forms the basis of Andreas Heise's choreographic realization, which ultimately turned out to be brilliant.
Oṃ Namaḥ Śivāya.Valențele cosmologice, coregrafice și estetice ale ipostazierii zeului hindus Śiva ca Naṭarāja sau Domn al Dansului
Oṃ Namaḥ Śivāya. Intersections of Cosmology, Choreography and Aesthetics in the Iconographical Representation of the Hindu Deity Shiva as Naṭarāja or Lord of the Dance When one considers the total spectrum of cosmological attributes which have been ascribed to the myriad forms of the Hindu deity Shiva over the course of several millennia, the methodological risks that necessarily preclude any scholarly attempt at an exhaustive, yet concise foray into the historical process of his emergence become all too apparent. Nevertheless, the present study aims to prove that such endeavours can yet yield a bountiful harvest, by way of initiating a comparative inquiry bent on highlighting the manifold spiritual traditions which have shaped one of Shiva’s most recognizable iconographic depictions – namely, that of Naṭarāja or Lord of the Dance. It is in this redoubtable icon, ostensibly as old as Indian civilization itself, that a plethora of metaphysical attributes pertaining to mythology, soteriology, aesthetics and choreography will harmonize with one another, giving shape to one of the symbolic paragons of Hindu thought and culture.
O incursiune jurnalistică în tradiția muzicală și coregrafică târgumureșeană
A Journalistic Exploration of the Musical and Choreographic Traditions of Târgu Mureș The study proposes an imaginary incursion into the atmosphere of Târgu Mureș during the interwar period. This time travel reveals a city full of music and dance, with diverse rhythms and instruments, for all tastes, in an artistic environment marked by the multicultural diversity of the area. The main source for this incursion into the musical and choreographic past of Târgu Mureș is represented by the local Romanian press of the period, which kept intact testimonies about the forms assumed back then by music and dance in the everyday life of the public. Two complementary directions of their manifestation emerge from the study of old newspapers. On the one hand, there are the official cultural events concentrated around traditional music and dances, often held in the Palace of Culture – the artistic heart of the city during the interwar period. On the other hand, we have the cultural entertaining events, such as the dancing parties, with local musicians, organized in the numerous restaurants and coffee shops of the city, which brought along the modern rhythms and influences from western music and dance. The evolution of these two directions of development into the public’s preferences reflects a process of changing mentalities, visible also in the offer of the Municipal Conservatory of Târgu Mureș, which extended its educational services during this time with choreography and theatre courses for children (these being added to the initial courses of musical studies), transforming this institution into a veritable cultural nursery.
Neuroplasticity, Cognition, and Creativity – Interdisciplinary Perspectives
The topics analyzed in this article stem from the interdisciplinary research project “The Noetic Pathways of Creativity and Augmentation through Neuroplasticity”, initiated in 2024 by the Institute for Multidisciplinary Research in Art within the “George Enescu” National University of Arts in Iași. These themes were discussed by specialists from both medical and artistic fields during a conference organized in collaboration with the “I. I. Mironescu” Cultural Center of the “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Iași. This scientific communication session, now in its second edition, builds upon research initiated in 2023: “Neuroscience, Creativity, and Neural Connections in the Artistic Creation Process”. Through this article, we aim to address some of the key questions concerning the role of neuroplasticity as a means of developing creative and human potential. We explore various aspects related to the creative brain, the augmentation of cognitive functions, creative thinking, and the stimulation of imagination.
Staging The New Heroes of Socialist Realist Drama in Romania: Mihail Davidoglu’s “The Miners” at the Hungarian State Theatre of Cluj
Considered one of the first socialist realist plays in Romania, Mihail Davidoglu’s “The Miners” premiered on stages throughout the country in 1949. Focusing on the staging at the Hungarian State Theatre of Cluj, the paper explores the creation and reception of Davidoglu’s play in a centralized cultural and ideological context, as well as the intertwined relations between the politics of industrialization and the rise of the new heroes on and off the stage.
L’effet-miroir, quand le théâtre se profite de l’antiquité pour refléter notre actualité : cas de « Le retour d’Hulagu » de Sultan Bin Mohammed Al-Qasimi
The Mirror Effect, When the Theater Takes Advantage of History to Reflect Our Current Actuality: Case of “The Return of Hulagu” by Sultan Bin Mohammed Al-Qasimi In the complex world of theater, every word, every idea, every gesture, as well as every line influences the spectators or readers. In the piece entitled "The Return of Hulagu", written by Sultan Bin Mohamed Al-Qasimi, the idea of the mirror effect is omnipresent and imposes itself as a centripetal notion. The characters, whether they are protagonists or secondary, their speeches, the chrono-spatial indications, the events, the themes addressed, even the declarations made by the playwright in this historical drama, all these elements are intertwined, in a one way or another, in order to show us how History can play the role of a mirror by evoking facts from the past inviting the reader to reflect on their own experiences, the crises of which are, without the least, in resemblance with these facts. The problem of this article is expressed, thus, by highlighting and addressing the dramatic techniques that the playwright used within his play, sometimes in a subtle way, sometimes in an explicit way, in order to create a space of confrontation with oneself, a space where the public is not invited to discover the historical events given to be represented to such an extent that it is summoned to understand the symbolic interpretation of these events, or even to determine their relationships with its daily.
Limbajul non-verbal în arta actorului. Studiu de caz: Dorra din „Femeia ca un câmp de luptă” de Matei Vișniec
Non-Verbal Language in Acting. A Case Study: Dorra from “The Woman as a Battlefield” by Matei Vișniec The research I have undertaken in this paper on non-verbal language in acting is based on a case study of one of the first roles in my career, an exercise that has influenced – decisively, I would say – the way I approach the characters entrusted to me. The presentation of the subject and the description of the main lines of development of the two female characters and, further on, the detailing of the character Dorra's journey highlights the fact that, both in construction and perception, the physical sensation is closely related to the exceptional psychic situation of the character. These theoretical aspects underlie the process of character construction. Thus, the encounter between Dorra, a victim of rape by combatants, and the psychologist Kate, who studies the phenomenon of war rape, is the premise from which the whole creative process starts.
Kabos Ede színházi hírneve: a megbukott „Éva”
The Theatrical Fame of Ede Kabos: „Éva”, the Failed Play The play entitled “Éva” [Eve] written by Ede Kabos, was staged only once at the National Theatre in Budapest on 25 October 1889 due to its disastrous failure. Kabos emphasized his love of Norwegian literature in his autobiography, in which he considered Henrik Ibsen his idol. In this context, it is interesting that a few weeks earlier, the famous play of the Norwegian writer, “The Doll’s House” (played with the title “Nóra”) was also performed at the same stage, on 4 October. My aim with this research is to provide an insight into (1) the difficulties of this forgotten author’s career as a playwright, (2) the Hungarian theatre life of the eighties revealing what could happened on the night of 25 October. My analysis may also show not only (3) the attempts made at that time to establish the genre of social drama, but also (4) some parallels with the play of Ibsen, even if the play of Kabos can be interpreted as an unsuccessful endeavour.
Despre subiect(ul) care nu poate fi decât „altfel”: Lévinas – o etică a imposibilului
About (the) Subject that Can Only Be “Otherwise”: Lévinas – an Ethics of the Impossible The present study examines the attempted radical transformation of the hermeneutics of the subject and ethics in post-phenomenological thinking, with a focus on the meta-ontological project of Emmanuel Levinas' heterology. The project just mentioned brings to light the violence inherent in the phenomenological gesture of the constitution of meaning, whereby alterity (the otherness) is blurred and limited to a simple intentional correlate. In opposition to this reductionist tendency, Levinas proposes a radical reconceptualization of the subject - not as an autonomous center of knowledge, but as a fundamental openness and vulnerability to the Other. The study explores the dimension in which alterity does not arise after the constitution of the subject, but rather precedes it and makes it possible in a paradoxical way. This anteriority of the Other establishes an ethics that can no longer be founded on autonomy or free decision. Responsibility becomes infinite and non-founded, an original structure of existence, which pre-emerges (pre-empts) any conscious choice and in which any apparently neutral act is already ethically marked (infused), revealing the impossibility of a pure presence or an innocent gesture (ethical void). Classical ontology is thus re-read as already ethical, insofar as any attempt at totalization excludes and violates radical alterity. The proposal that emerges, consequently, is that of a meta- or pre-ontology that we have tried to define by the phrase "the ethics of the impossible", in which the subject appears as off-centered, fragile and always exposed to an ethical demand that it cannot completely satisfy. This ethics does not begin with the moral decision, but with the very existential condition of being in and through the (constitutive, pre-original) relation with the Other, configuring a responsibility without conditions, which thus fundamentally redefines our understanding of morality and subjectivity.
On the Tightrope Between Worlds: The Dramaturgy of Acculturation
Acculturation is a stage where individuals act as directors, choreographers, performers, audiences, and critics of their own behavior. This paper examines how migrants negotiate identity, authenticity, and performativity while adapting to a new cultural context. Migrants face pressures to craft and present intelligible, socially competent, and authentic selves, often at the expense of their pre-migration identities, their overall sense of identity coherence, and sometimes their close relationships. Drawing on philosophical and psychological literature on authenticity, including Goffman’s dramaturgical theory, we explore how migrants experiment with self-reinvention, juggle multiple identities, and manage personal and relational costs. While performative adaptation can facilitate social integration and personal growth, it may also generate relational disconnection, chronic self-monitoring, and psychological strain, highlighting the delicate balance between cultural adaptation and maintaining continuity with one’s prior self. We discuss all these phenomena through the lens of the actor’s performance art.
Teatrul absurdului și muzica secolului XX în „Krapp, ou La dernière bande” de Samuel Beckett și Marcel Mihalovici
The Theatre of the Absurd and Twentieth Century Music in "Krapp, ou La dernière bande" by Samuel Beckett and Marcel Mihalovici "Krapp, ou La dernière bande", written by Samuel Beckett, is an emblematic example of the theatre of the absurd, a movement exploring the existential limitations and confusion encountered when facing an uncertain reality. Beckett's play reflects themes of time, memory, and self-reflection, emphasizing the isolation of Krapp, who confronts audio recordings of his past. Marcel Mihalovici's music deepens the emotional and philosophical significance, providing a sonic dimension that complements the theatrical monologues. The interaction between Beckett's text and Mihalovici's contemporary music highlights human contradictions, combining absurdity with modern compositions conveying melancholy and ephemerality. This analysis examines how the theatre of the absurd intersects with twentieth-century music, focusing on how these art forms influence each other to present an integrated vision of the human condition. The paper explores specific theatrical and musical techniques, emphasizing the connection between Beckett's theatrical expression and Mihalovici's sonic language – a symbiosis challenging the spectator to reflect on subjectivity and how time shapes identity.
Teatrul lectură – un hibrid între teatrul dramatic și cel radiofonic
Staged Reading– a Hybrid Between Dramatic and Radio Theatre This paper examines the actor as a central creative figure within the theatrical field, with particular emphasis on the comparison between staged play readings and radio theatre. Both these two distinct modes of dramatic expression favor the actor᾽s need to transmit emotions, conflicts and ideas, through any form of artistic communication. By eliminating set design, stage movement and other visual elements, the entire artistic responsibility shifts onto the actor's voice. Accordingly, the voice becomes the main element of our study, not only as an instrument for delivering lines, but also a medium by which the atmosphere is constructed, the space is evoked, and the characters are developed. In the absence of visual components, the voice acquires a special force, suggesting action, tension and inner experience. Even if the reading of a play does not engage in a full performance, the actors assume their roles through nuanced vocal interpretation. The conclusions suggest that in both reading theatre and radio theatre, the voice becomes the body of the performance – an essential "vehicle" through which the characters come to life. In the absence of the visual, the audience is invited to "see with their ears", an experience that demands for the actors an exceptional vocal technique, a clear diction, sensitivity and a high empathetic capacity. The study, conducted with master’s-level students, highlights the expressive power and subtlety of the human voice as a fundamental instrument of theatrical communication.