Francesca da Rimini: dal “Teatro di poesia” dannunziano al dantismo russo

This paper sheds light on the Russian success of d’Annunzio’s tragedy Francesca da Rimini, through the analysis of the translations held in Vittoriale, in the private library of the Poet. In particular, Bryusov’s and Ivanov’s translation published in St. Petersburg, in 1908, was used for two Muscovite productions that led to different outcomes: on 1st September 1908 at the Maly Theatre (poorly regarded), directed by Aleksandr Lensky, and on 4th September at the Hermitage Theatre (successful), directed by Nikolai Evreinov and with actress Vera Komissarzhevskaya in the leading role. This one-off event allows us to consider the importance of the mediation of d’Annunzio’s “theater of poetry” for Dantism on the Russian scene of the early twentieth century, by evaluating the relationship between translation and theatrical practice.