Europa: Resonances of the Mythological Figure in Contemporary Theatre

This article analyzes appearances of Europa in ancient myth, tragedy and historiography, as well as resonances of this figure in contemporary theatre. The study combines two lines of thought, both rooted in theatre studies. First, the figure of Europa is specifically defined as female in the multifarious ensemble of our cultural memory – Zeus disguised as a bull abducts the royal Phoenician daughter Europa and carries her off to Crete. Second, the far-reaching and numerous resonances of Europe as myth from Ovid's Metamorphoses. In contrast to the ancient model of female suffering both thoughts remain relevant for understanding stagings of Europa in the present. The topic embodies the contemporary need to empower the feminine through body and voice and will be exemplified using various examples such as Magnificat (2011), Rimini Protokoll's Hausbesuch Europa (2015), Philippe Quesne's Big Bang (2010).