ABSTRACT
This chapter shows that there was an ancient tradition of oral presentation of the Commedia, in which Dante Alighieri himself may have participated. However, the 1865 recitation reflects a new turn in the reception of Dante, at once political and theatrical in nature. The chapter also shows putting Dante on stage was an inherently political act, for Dante was reinterpreted as a forerunner and hero of the unification of Italy. The important role for actors in the sexcentenary owes much more, however, to the profusion of plays drawn from Dante's life and works since the late eighteenth century. The success of Silvio Pellico's tragedy set a fashion for Dante plays in Italy and abroad. Scores of Francescas were to follow throughout the nineteenth century and into the twentieth, including one created in Buenos Aires for Dario Niccodemi's company in 1923. The significance of putting Dante on stage varied with the location of the performance.
