The Master of Arts in Theatre

General Introduction

The Master of Arts in Theatre at the Accademia Dimitri was founded in 2008. Responsible for the coordination and programming of the Master’s programme is Corinna Vitale, assisted by the two teachers Pavel Stourač and Richard Weihe (currently responsible for the specialisations in Figure Theatre and Applied Theatre Practice respectively, who were joined in 2022 by Raùl Vargas Torres responsible for the specialisation in Physical Theatre).

The Master of Arts in Theatre at the Accademia Dimitri is conceived as a space for theatrical creation and artistic experimentation in the intimate and stimulating environment of a small academy; a venue that offers a deep-rooted artistic community, encourages an individual approach to theatrical creation and engages students (peer groups) in a lively debate on the contemporary aesthetics of the stage. The focus of the programme is on theatre creation and the human body in theatre, in the dialogue between theatre and the other arts, as well as in society. The body is the basis on which artistic and social practices are developed.

The course of study enables graduates to develop the ability to move simultaneously in three roles, nowadays separated in traditional theatre, namely author, director/director and actor/performer, thanks to

• in-depth knowledge of contemporary theatre practices, from a practical, historical and theoretical perspective, focusing on the body and movement;
• a pedagogy based on the idea of the ‘creator-actor’ artist capable of devising and performing, alone or in a group.

The Master of Arts in Theatre at the Accademia Dimitri is part of the Master Campus Theatre CH, in which the four Swiss universities of professional theatre: Hochschule der Künste Bern, la Manufacture – Haute école des arts de la scène, Zürcher Hochschule der Künste, Accademia Dimitri.

The Master-Campus-Theatre-CH offers fruitful moments of exchange, allowing students to follow modules offered by the different theatre schools and to share training moments; it also helps to create a common line between the programmes of the different training courses, establishing the percentage to be given to the theoretical, practical and final realisation aspects.

The Master of Arts in Theatre offers a space for creation where the exchange between students from different cultural backgrounds stimulates exploration in the field of theatre. This exchange is based on a politics of the body approach, and on its role in the performing arts, in living together, in communication – the body representing the ground on which are determined the social practices and constructions based on the differences between human beings.

Starting from their own experiences, students deepen their understanding of theatre, investigate their way of working, and expose themselves as artists. In their learning and growth process, they are guided by professors and lecturers who give ample space and importance to the collective (Peer Group), in the belief that cultural diversity is essential for the growth of an artist.