Francesca Romana Lerz

Francesca Romana Lerz is a PhD candidate and Teaching and Research Assistant at the University of Trier. Her research lies at the intersection of Performing Arts, Religious Studies, and Pattern Theory. She focuses on Noh Theatre and its theoretical foundations.

Her doctoral dissertation investigates the influence of esoteric and Zen Buddhist traditions on the articulation of key concepts in Noh, as reflected in the treatises of Zeami. This research aims to identify a connection between performance on the Noh stage and performance within Noh theoretical texts themselves. Through the reconfiguration and reuse of Buddhist patterns and ritual structures, Zeami develops new conceptual frameworks designed to convey the aesthetics and practice of Noh. In particular, the project focuses on the elements that define actor training and the practical aspects of performance, including play writing, music, and dance.

During her research stay at the DIJ, Francesca Lerz will engage in archival work, consulting manuscripts of Noh treatises, and will further develop her research through dialogue with scholars in the fields of performing arts and religious studies, as well as with professional Noh performers.