CHORAL IDENTITY point in the fourth century, comic choruses also began to be selected from these tribes([Arist. Ath. Pol. 56.3). Yet there appear to have been no such restrictions on the choregos'recruitment of tragic choruses I the tragedies were not, as was the case with dithyrambs, judged by tribe and their chore goi were selected from among all Athenians(Ath. Pol. 56.3). Choregoi may have selected members of their own demes for their tragic choruses(there is one example that suggests such a case),but it seems far more likely that they would have competed to get those citizens who were best and perhaps also more experienced at choral performance within a certain age group confine myself here to a limited age group because Plato [Leg. 657d, 665b 665d-e] suggests repeatedly that choral performance was too strenuous for those over thirty. Dramatic choruses offered the most virtuosic opportuni ties for choral display, since they not only wore costumes and masks spe- cific to their identity, and sang and danced, but engaged with the actors both in iambic trimeter scenes and in joint lyrics and laments. Court cases that refer to the infiltration of foreigners into dramatic choruses both as chorus trainers and leaders and as chorus members again suggest a stiff competition to recruit skilled choral performers Dramatic competition may have encouraged an emphasis on representing different identities in performance. Although we have more direct evidence on the performance of actors than of chorus members on this point, I would suggest that both groups were probably judged on their success in repre senting the Other in performance. In acting traditions comparable to that in Athens where male actors play all the parts, such as Japanese Kabuki, rep- utation for outstanding performance is built in part on versatility in role playing generally, and on the ability to play the Other(e. g, women) rather than characters like oneself. the slim and often late ancient evidence that we have on such questions at least suggests that something similar obtained for Greek actors. first. all sources agree that the actor 's use of his voice was critical to his performance(e. g, Arist Rh. 1403b31-35: [Plut. ]Xorat 848b Both actors and choreuts underwent extensive voice training(e. g, [Arist Pr. 11.22; Pl Leg. 665e; and Antiph On the Choreut, a case involving a boy who was given a potion to improve his voice in a dithyrambic perfor mance and died). The art of acting apparently developed and was refined po and Slater(1995, 139), Antiphon(On the Choreut 11 13) and Wilson(2000. 82-83)stress the di 22. Wilson 2000. 82-83. Socrates of ous(IG 13969) apparently recruited his chorus from his local deme Until the abolishing of the choregia in the late fourth century(Csapo and Slater 1995, 351), choruses ional. Increas 995,351). By the choruses consist of the same people on different occasions, and this cryptic remark suggests that choreuts were se- Slater 1995. 358; Plut. Phoc. 30: [Andoc. Against Alcibiades 20-21; Dem Meid. 56 and 58-61- and Wilson 2000. 80: Wilson su than for any other choruses. Moreover, there is some evidence that tragic choral performers nal. The sons of Carcinus were known as tragic dancers, and the trainer Sannion an probably also starred in the choruses that they trained (Dem. Meid 58-61; Wilson 2000, 129 and 131) This content downloaded from 145.97 173 155 on Wed. 01 Feb 2017 10: 50- 30 UT Allusesubjecttohttp://aboutjstor.org/termsChoral Identity 5 point in the fourth century, comic choruses also began to be selected from these tribes ([Arist.] Ath. Pol. 56.3). Yet there appear to have been no such restrictions on the choregos’ recruitment of tragic choruses;21 the tragedies were not, as was the case with dithyrambs, judged by tribe and their chore￾goi were selected from among all Athenians (Ath. Pol. 56.3). Choregoi may have selected members of their own demes for their tragic choruses (there is one example that suggests such a case),22 but it seems far more likely that they would have competed to get those citizens who were best and perhaps also more experienced at choral performance within a certain age group.23 (I confine myself here to a limited age group because Plato [Leg. 657d, 665b, 665d–e] suggests repeatedly that choral performance was too strenuous for those over thirty.) Dramatic choruses offered the most virtuosic opportuni￾ties for choral display, since they not only wore costumes and masks spe￾cific to their identity, and sang and danced, but engaged with the actors both in iambic trimeter scenes and in joint lyrics and laments. Court cases that refer to the infiltration of foreigners into dramatic choruses both as chorus trainers and leaders and as chorus members again suggest a stiff competition to recruit skilled choral performers.24 Dramatic competition may have encouraged an emphasis on representing different identities in performance. Although we have more direct evidence on the performance of actors than of chorus members on this point, I would suggest that both groups were probably judged on their success in repre￾senting the Other in performance. In acting traditions comparable to that in Athens where male actors play all the parts, such as Japanese Kabuki, rep￾utation for outstanding performance is built in part on versatility in role playing generally, and on the ability to play the Other (e.g., women) rather than characters like oneself. The slim and often late ancient evidence that we have on such questions at least suggests that something similar obtained for Greek actors. First, all sources agree that the actor’s use of his voice was critical to his performance (e.g., Arist. Rh. 1403b31–35; [Plut.] X orat. 848b). Both actors and choreuts underwent extensive voice training (e.g., [Arist.] Pr. 11.22; Pl. Leg. 665e; and Antiph. On the Choreut, a case involving a boy who was given a potion to improve his voice in a dithyrambic perfor￾mance and died). The art of acting apparently developed and was refined 21. Wilson 2000, 22, 77; MacDowell 1982. Csapo and Slater (1995, 139), Antiphon (On the Choreut 11– 13), and Wilson (2000, 82–83) stress the difficulty of recruiting choruses. 22. Wilson 2000, 82–83. Socrates of Anagyrous (IG 13.969) apparently recruited his chorus from his local deme. 23. Until the abolishing of the choregia in the late fourth century (Csapo and Slater 1995, 351), choruses were selected from among ordinary citizens, whereas actors were clearly becoming more professional. Increas￾ingly harder music and more complex plots may have favored actors (Csapo and Slater 1995, 351). By the mid-fourth century, choregoi may have been able to choose from a class of professional singers (Pickard￾Cambridge 1988, 90). At the same time, Aristotle (Pol. 3.3.1276b) notes that comic and tragic choruses might consist of the same people on different occasions, and this cryptic remark suggests that choreuts were se￾lected from a limited group, since they acted in dramatic choruses more than once. 24. Csapo and Slater 1995, 358; Plut. Phoc. 30; [Andoc.] Against Alcibiades 20–21; Dem. Meid. 56 and 58–61; and Wilson 2000, 80; Wilson suggests (82) that competition for tragic choruses was probably more intense than for any other choruses. Moreover, there is some evidence that tragic choral performers were more professional. The sons of Carcinus were known as tragic dancers, and the trainer Sannion and others probably also starred in the choruses that they trained (Dem. Meid. 58–61; Wilson 2000, 129 and 131). This content downloaded from 145.97.173.155 on Wed, 01 Feb 2017 10:50:30 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms