Dr. Emmanuela Wroth

Biography

I am a Leverhulme Early Career Fellow, specializing in nineteenth-century French music theatre history with a focus on the intersections of race, gender, sexuality, and class. My current Leverhulme project, 'Diasporic Divas: Racialized Gendered Celebrity in Western Europe, 1715–1925,' recovers the overlooked careers of black women performers and Afrodiasporic performance practices in eighteenth- and nineteenth-century Western Europe and the Atlantic. In contemporary culture, the term 'diva' is often used to both denigrate and elevate Black celebrity women, while historical diva studies typically focus on white celebrities, oversimplifying a complex narrative. My project aims to address this oversight by highlighting the contributions of Afrodiasporic divas from the eighteenth century onward. I hold a BA in Modern and Medieval Languages (French and Spanish), an MPhil in European Comparative Literatures and Cultures from the University of Cambridge, and a Collaborative Doctoral Project (PhD) from Durham University and Bowes Museum. My doctoral thesis, forthcoming monograph, 'Courting Celebrity: Creating Courtesan Popular on the Parisian Stage 1831–1859,' examines the intersection of gender, sexuality, and class politics in mid-nineteenth-century Parisian popular lyric stages. I have also held a Postdoctoral Fellowship in French Music at the University of Toronto from 2022–2024, focusing on Afrodiasporic women performers in nineteenth-century France. I frequently disseminate my work through collaborations with various museums and cultural institutions.

Research Interests

Experience