Workshop on Late Medieval German Drama

When: 2 May 2026, 11:30-16:45
Where: Taylor Institution Library, Room 2

Organisers: Henrike Lähnemann, Monty Powell, Carlos Rodríguez Otero, Sharang Sharma

A group of Oxford medievalists is currently working on an edition of the liturgical music for the Frankfurt Passion Play which was left unfinished by the late Peter Macardle (Die liturgischen Gesänge der Frankfurter Dirigierrolle und des Frankfurter Passionsspiels, under contract with Open Book Publishers). As part of the launch, planned for autumn 2026, they intent to perform an extract of the Mary Magdalen scenes from the play in a new dramatic English translation. The workshop on 2 May is meant to help prepare this performance by creating an English verse version and testing the musical transcription (with musicologist Margot Fassler as guest of honour).

Everybody is invited to the workshops who is interested in creative dramatic translation, or pre-modern German, or liturgical music, or an intersection of these. Please register your interest with one of the organisers at St Edmund Hall, Henrike Lähnemann or Carlos Rodríguez Otero.

Play Manuscripts

• Frankfurt Director’s Roll (Dirigierrolle): Frankfurt a. M., Universitätsbibl., Ms. Barth. 178 (Bartholomäusstift, 1st half 14th cent.)
• Frankfurt Passion Play: Frankfurt a. M., Stadtarchiv, Barth. Bücher VI 63, Bl. 1^r–81^r (Bartholomäusstift 1493)
• Frankfurt Easter Play fragment: Frankfurt a. M., Universitätsbibl., Fragm. germ. III 6 (1st half 14th cent.)
• Alsfeld Passion Play: Kassel LUB, 2^o Ms. poet. & roman. 18 (15th cent. with additions up to 1517)
• Trier Marian Lament & Easter Play: Trier StB Cod. 1973/63 4^o (Mid-15th cent.)

List of musical sources used for reconstructing the musical chant, all Frankfurt University Library

• Sequentiary (Frankfurter Sequentiar): Ms. Barth. 49 (Bartholomäusstift, mid-15th cent.)
• Anti­pho­ners: Ms. Lat. qu. 48 (Bartholomäusstift, mid-15th cent.) and Ms. Barth. 94 (Bartholomäusstift, mid-15th cent.)Frankfurt UB lat. qu. 48 / Barth. 94 (Bartholomäusstift, mid 15th cent.)
• Graduals (archdiocese of Mainz, ‘Moguntinum’): Ms. lat. qu. 44 (Bartholomäusstift, 2^nd ¼ 15th cent.), Ms. Leonh. 13 (c. 1525 from St Leonhard)