I "Ludi Sancti Nicholai" in francoprovenzale (inizio XV secolo)

In the last decades, research on the Franco-Provençal language has tended to focus on linguistic issues. This can be explained by the fact the Franco-Provençal language is represented by a well-established, precise corpus of texts: among these, the editions by Aebischer, Stimm, Duraffour e Gardette, published between the 1950’s and the 1970’s – just to mention the most relevant ones – have brought to light the most significant examples of literary texts, while the discovery of documents and of minor works, often in the form of fragments, has contributed to define and complete the account of written sources available. As a consequence, the entire Franco-Provençal corpus has been largely exploited for both diachronic and synchronic studies: the former aimed at describing its development and evolution, the latter aimed at identifying the traits and features of Franco-Provençal varieties still in use today. Such a complex, albeit still incomplete, mosaic of texts, is now enriched by a new element: the discovery and publishing of the Ludi Sancti Nicholai brings back to light an early fifteenth century text of which, unfortunately, all traces had been lost. Professor Laura Ramello (University of Torino) provides a thorough investigation which depicts this unique exemplar of medieval Savoyard theatrical work – obviously influenced by the French linguistic and cultural tradition – in all its aspects and possible interpretations including the literary, historical, artistic and, needless to say, linguistic levels. In this edition, the eight pièces which make up the Ludi, after many wanderings and roamings, after having fallen into hands probably unable to fully comprehend its significance, are finally brought back to their original context: the Savoy territory with its cultural and historical tradition, that is to say, the very land in which Ludi are most truly and firmly rooted.