Global Mediterranean. Postcolonial music histories (16th-20th centuries). IMS Intercongressional Symposium

Negotiating Artistic Identity in the Context of Migration and Exile: The Case of Clara Haskil

Not scheduled

20m

Facultat de Filologia, Traducció i Comunicació – Universitat de València

Free paper

Description

Clara Haskil was one of the most important pianists of the 20th century and the first prominent Romanian pianist. Growing up in a politically and ideologically fragmented Europe permeated by nationalist ideologies that promoted eugenics and marginalized Jewish communities, Haskil's identity as a Sephardic Jewish musician placed her at the intersection of many cultural and social challenges that dramatically shaped her journey. Forced to leave Romania, she studied in Vienna and Paris, took refuge in Marseille, and finally settled in Switzerland, where she was supported by her patron and manager, Michel Rossier, and became part of Charles Chaplin's social circle.
In a context of migration and exile, Haskil reconfigured her artistic identity beyond national schemas to embody an inter-national, even supranational identity. It is this artistic identity that I will analyze, drawing on Judith Butler’s notion of "performative identity”. Butler defines a musician's identity as a fluid construct that is negotiated over time through repertoire choices, interpretative style, audience interactions, and so on. Haskil's commitment to the classical repertoire (Mozart, Beethoven) reflects a particular artistic sensibility and an intimate, introspective approach to performance. Known for her reserved and introspective demeanor, Haskil conveyed a profound sensitivity and intimacy in her interpretations. She didn't just interpret music; she projected an image of herself through gestures, stage presence, and performance style that contributed to the construction of her artistic identity.
I will argue that Haskil's identity was an ongoing negotiation of what Homi Bhabha has called "cultural hybridity”. By mapping her trajectory as a resistance to prejudices, nationalist ideologies, and gender stereotypes, it will be possible to shed light on how music served as a transcultural space in which her identity as a performer was constantly redefined within the framework of migration, exile, and refuge.