Shaping the Perception of Otherness. Performing the Ottoman in Vienna before 1800

In what ways did the ephemeral nature of theater and festival practices influence how portrayals were manifested? What made certain representations of Ottomans unique to Viennese performance practices? Beginning around the time of the first Ottoman siege of Vienna in 1529 and culminating around 1800, the depiction of the Ottoman onstage and in festival culture gradually shifted from the ›terrible Turk‹ stereotype to a lighthearted face of rococo turquerie. This path, however, was not so straightforward and an oscillation between curiosity and fear can be read constantly between the lines. Examining representations of otherness through the lens of performance culture allows for a more nuanced and complex discussion since the very nature of performance forces us to consider questions of agency, identity, movement and materiality.