Angelus ad aras D. Joannes Nepomucenus
- First performance: 27th May 1729, Prague - New Town, the lowest grammar class – rudimentistae
- Author: Antonius Machek, SJ (1705–1760)
The play Angel at the Altar, St. John of Nepomuk, which argumentum alludes to Bohuslaus Balbinus, chooses from the Nepomucene legend a motive from the Saint’s childhood: as soon as John learned to speak, he would study the acolyte rules and assist diligently during Mass. This motive is further developed: older boys rob John of a sheet with the acolyte rules, so that he cannot learn them and compete with the other boys. When John luckily regains the rules, his adversaries try to prevent him by all means from arriving in church. John overcomes all the obstructions, however, and forgives his penitent enemies. In this play, John represents an exemplary altar boy, whose main virtues are listed in the prologue: modesty, humility, piety and utter concentration of the mind on God. His adversaries, on the other hand, embody all the vices an altar boy can possibly have. Above all, they are not interested in the service to God, but in the gifts they receive as a reward. More info in Czech
Text
[Antonius Machek]: Angelus ad aras D. Joannes Nepomucenus. Pro theatro exhibitus a rudimentistis Neopragensibus 1729, 27. Maji National archives CR, fond Stará manipulace, sign. J 20/17/18, kart. 998, f. 330r–337v
Synopsis
[Antonius Machek]: Angelus ad aras D. Joannes Nepomucenus. Pro theatro exhibitus a rudimentistis Neopragensibus anno 1729 / Anjel při oltáří Svatý Jan Nepomucký. Na lešení školním představený od mladeže první školy v Praze u sv. Ignatia léta 1729 National archives CR, fond Stará manipulace, sign. J 20/17/18, kart. 998, kart. 998, f. 320r/v
Kateřina Bobková-Valentová – Alena Bočková – Magdaléna Jacková – Martin Bažil – Eva Pauerová – Jan Zdichynec – Zdeněk Žalud: Sv. Jan Nepomucký na jezuitských školních scénách. Praha: Academia, 2015. (= Theatrum Neolatinum. Latinské divadlo v českých zemích, 1.), p. 72-139.
Bibliography
Kateřina Bobková-Valentová – Alena Bočková: Antonín Machek – Angelus ad aras D. Joannes Nepomucenus. Jezuitská školská hra k oslavě sv. Jana Nepomuckého. In: Barokní Praha – Barokní Čechie 1620–1740. Sborník příspěvků z vědecké konference o fenoménu baroka v Čechách. Archiv hl. m. Prahy a Scriptorium, Praha 2004, p. 955–974. Alena Bočková: From sanctulus to sacer. Suggested Typology of Jesuit School Plays Featuring St. John of Nepomuk in the Czech Province, Acta Universitatis Carolinae – Philologica, Graecolatina Pragensia 25, 2015, pp. 113–133.
