This thesis examines the reception of contemporary Austrian drama on the Italian stage, using the performance history of Thomas Bernhard's work as a representative example. The aim is to trace any structures and patterns which may be inherent in processes of cultural transfer between Austria and Italy. Following a critical synopsis of socio-political and cultural aspects of the Austro-Italian relationship, the reception of contemporary Austrian drama will be examined from an editorial and

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... ic perspective. The presence of Austrian writers on the Italian stage will then be discussed using concrete examples. This forms the background for an assessment of the translations of Bernhard's work. The analysis of these translations will be based on an understanding of translation prevalent since the cultural turn in Translation Studies: translation as a process of "cultural transfer" rather than one merely reliant on the principle of equivalence. Furthermore, the extent to which the theatrical production functions as a medium of such cultural transfer will be demonstrated. Factors such as which works were staged, when they were staged, what the sociopolitical context was, what the (economic) conditions were, who the works were directed by and the subsequent effects of individual productions, are thus of particular relevance to this study. Which external and domestic political factors have influenced reception? Which topoi and motives have primarily been adopted? Which aspects have been neglected? Does a "receptive misunderstanding" take place? Taking the historical development of Italian theatre as well as the current (funding) situation into consideration, the diverse aesthetic approaches and staging practices will also be analysed. In doing so a precise differentiation between the hegemonic system of the established Teatri Stabili and that of off-scene theatres and groups (subsumed under the term teatro di ricerca) is intended.