Performances of La Condamnation de Banquet (around 1500) and Convivii Process (1593): Dining Culture, Theatre, and Music in Courtly and Urban Contexts

Abstract A lavishly laid table, music, dance, amusement and socializing were central components of every festivity in the Medieval and Early Modern periods, but excessive indulgence in worldly pleasures also provoked criticism. Feasts and the associated dining and entertainment culture were the subject of moralizing theatrical performances. This article takes a closer look at two thematically related plays, depicting specific customs and traditions with different cultural backgrounds: the French morality La Condamnation de Banquet , staged around 1500 in a courtly setting, and its Swiss adaptation, the tragicomedy Convivii Process , staged on the Wine market in Lucerne during carnival 1593. Special attention is paid to the musical components of the performances.