Citings & Sightings of Dante's Works in Contemporary Culture
“Dante juxtaposed Greek mythology with modern Catholicism, which is exactly what Hammerfall do in their hellish song, “666 – The Enemy Within,” Loudwire’s Katy Irrizary writes.
“The band sings of both the symbol of Christ’s death as well as the rivers of Hades. “Six, six, six / Get the holy crucifix / Throw it in / Into Acheron on Styx” – Katy Irrizary, Loudwire, August 15, 2018
On November 13, 2021, the collaborative effort behind Dante in Oxford hosted the “After Hours” event. The event was described as follows:
“An exciting ‘after hours’ programme of activities at the Ashmolean Museum showcasing the diverse range of researchers and performers who are connected to Dante.
“Oxford will be alive with opportunities to celebrate Dante in 2021 — exactly 700 years since the great poet’s death. Best known for his astonishing Divine Comedy — a three-stage epic poem, narrating a journey through the afterlife from Hell through Purgatory to Heaven, with all of human history, knowledge, love, and life encountered on the way — Dante was an advisor to princes, a political exile, and a revolutionary poet.” —TORCH (retrieved February 13, 2022)
One of the “performers” at this event was a robotic poet named Ai-da; view our post about her poetry here.
More information about the “After Hours” event and its programming (which included live performances and other exhibits) can be found here.
Other Dante in Oxford posts can be found here.
On November 4, 2021, the collaborative effort behind Dante in Oxford hosted the “Dante and Dance” event. The performance was described as follows:
“Luc Petton, choreographer, will present a screening of Ainsi la Nuit, his extraordinary ballet for human dancers, birds, and animals inspired by Dante’s Divine Comedy. Luc Petton will also be in conversation with members of the audience. The event is programmed in conjunction with the display ‘The Divine Comedy from Manuscript to Manga’ which is open to the public in an adjacent space of the Bodleian’s Weston Library. The film screening will be followed by a response from Professor Sue Jones and a Q&A.” —TORCH (retrieved February 13, 2022)
More information about “Dante and Dance” and its programming can be found here.
Other Dante in Oxford posts can be found here.
On November 13, 2021, the collaborative effort behind Dante in Oxford hosted the “Serata Dantesca” event. The performance was described as:
“A programme of music, poetry, and dance presented in the Holywell Music Room, featuring performers who are almost all Oxford-based teachers, researchers, and students. In addition to Italian and English readings and some older choral and solo musical compositions, new translations and settings have been specially commissioned for this commemorative occasion marking the 700th anniversary of the death of the great Italian poet.” —TORCH (retrieved February 7, 2022)
More information about the “Serata Dantesca” and its programming can be found here.
Other Dante in Oxford posts can be found here.
“Charlie dies and is sent to the underworld to cheer up the devil, who has let hell freeze over. The imagery is straight from the Inferno. Faces frozen in ice, giants, Charlie scaling down to the bottom, God’s hidden face, etc.”
Contributed by Luis E. Sanchez, Florida State University ’22
