Routledge The Great Festival: A Theoretical Performance Narrative of Antiquity’s Feasts and the Modern Rock Festival

The Great Festival presents and analyzes two historical festivals - the ancient Dionysus Festival and the present Roskilde Festival. The purpose is to set up two comparable structures or 'codes' to explain the universal artistic effects, structures and fascination of the festival. Olav Harsløf argues that there are major structural, organizational and economic similarities which, when exposed, can give us greater insight into today's festivals. This is illuminated through a combined performance design and event analysis of the ancient Dionysus festival and today's Roskilde Festival, explaining the festival's historicity, diversity, complexity and paradigmatic strength. This will be a discussion of great interest to researchers and students in the fields of performance studies, experience economy, theater, music, classical philology and archeology. About the Author Olav Harsløf is former professor at the Department of Performance Design, Roskilde University, Denmark, and before that head of The Danish National Academy of Theatre, and the Danish National Conservatory of Rhythmic Music. He has, together with Dorita Hannah, edited the book Performance Design (Museum Tusculanum Press 2008) and written the article "PHantom of the Operas in Sidney and Copenhagen"; and together with Erik Kristiansen edited the book Engaging Spaces - Sites of Performance, Interaction and Reflection (Museum Tusculanum Press 2015) and written the article "Space as Provocation".