Joan of Arc has long been a muse to musicians, inspiring operas (Verdi, Tchaikovsky) musicals (Goodtime Charley) sung mystery plays (Claudel & Honneger), ballads (Leonard Cohen, Arcade Fire) and pop culture parodies such as the rap battle between Miley Cyrus and the Maid. Her story has also been powerfully related en muet in early silent films. This panel investigates the “sound effects” of Joan’s story, considering the roles of music, speech, silence, voices, and voiceover.

Questions may be directed to panel organizers Tara Smithson (tsmithson@saintmarys.edu) and Scott Manning (smanning@gmail.com).

This panel has been accepted and will be a part of the International Congress of Medieval Studies in Kalamazoo, Michigan, held at Western Michigan University on May 14-16 2026

Please submit abstracts via the ICMS website here: https://icms.confex.com/icms/2026/prelim.cgi/Session/7402