commedia dell'arte , Italian theatrical form that flourished throughout Europe in the 16th-18th centuries.The characters, many portrayed by actors wearing masksincluding the witty gentleman's valet Harlequin, the Venetian merchant Pantelone, the honest and simpleminded servant Pierrot, the maidservant Columbina, the unscrupulous servant Scaramouche, and the braggart captain or . However, each troupe had its impresse (like a coat of arms) which symbolized its nature. His mask has a ridiculously long nose. These fun, outlandish characters have had a deep impact on theater and other art forms. Companies in fact preferred to not stay in any one place too long, mostly out of a fear of the act becoming "stale." The zanni, who were often acrobats, or tumblers, had various names such as Panzanino, Buratino, Pedrolino (or Pierrot), Scapino, Fritellino, Trappolino, Brighella, and most notably, Arlecchino and Pulcinella (related to the English Punchinello, or Punch). They would travel in large carts laden with supplies necessary for their nomadic style of performance, enabling them to move from place to place without having to worry about the difficulties of relocation. Not necessarily the funniest character, though she has heart,and there's sometimes room for comic relief surroundinghertroubles withsome feminine social graces. Despite his ambition, Pantalone is treated as an old fool by the other characters. The art is a lost one, its mood and style irrecoverable. commedia dellarte, (Italian: comedy of the profession) Italian theatrical form that flourished throughout Europe from the 16th through the 18th century. Professional players who specialized in one role developed an unmatched comic acting technique, which contributed to the popularity of the itinerant commedia troupes that traveled throughout Europe. To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member. While there was some variation between regions, the general look of each character usually transcended geographical boundaries. He is typically portrayed as relatively corpulent, and often wears the recognizable attire of his profession. Vittoria Piisimi (fl. His fault is that he tends to carry the negative societal consequences of being a "dreamer," and--in some versions--lets his emotions run away from him, over-reacting to situations (whether falling madly in love or lashing out in anger). Comdie-Italienne, the Italian commedia dell'arte as it was called in France. [10][11] Another characteristic of commedia is pantomime, which is mostly used by the character Arlecchino, now better known as Harlequin. Commedia dell'arte emerged around the middle of the 16th century as the first professional theater form. This makes it a perfect venue for talented women to take the stage. Updates? [51], English literal translation: "learned comedies". The term is sometimes contrasted with ''Commedia Erudita,'' a form of literary drama more commonly reserved for the upper classes at the time. Among the great innamorate, Isabella Andreini was perhaps the most widely known, and a medallion dedicated to her reads "eternal fame". However, it is more probable that the comici used contemporary novella, or, traditional sources as well, and drew from current events and local news of the day. Ordfront. The decline of the commedia dellarte was due to a variety of factors. The amorosi are often children of a male character in the masters group, but not of any female character in the masters group, which may represent younger women who have e.g. While Pantalone seems foolish, Il Dottore is portrayed as wise. ne part Tigger, one part Bart Simpson, one part Red Bull Energy Drink, and a large dollop of Pixar's UP's "Doug the Dog" saying "SQUIRREL." The zanni had already been differentiated as comic rustic and witty fool. Pantalone is a miserly, crochety old man, who has a weakness for gold and, in some versions, for the ladies. Despite contemporary depictions of scenarios and masks and descriptions of particular presentations, impressions today of what the commedia dellarte was like are secondhand. Goldoni: Beatrice Shakespeare's The Tempest is drawn from a popular scenario in the Scala collection, his Polonius (Hamlet) is drawn from Pantalone, and his clowns bear homage to the zanni. Some were doctors, others priests, others soldiers, enticed by the excitement and prevalence of theatre in Italian society. By the mid-16th century, specific troupes of commedia performers began to coalesce, and by 1568 the Gelosi became a distinct company. These women were skilled in all the fine arts, excelling as orators in the prima donna innamorate (female lovers) roles. Notably, his is the only mask without cheeks -- the reason being actors would rouge their cheeks to show Il Dottore's regular drunkeness. 214 lessons. Concomitantly, a Neapolitan tradition emerged in the south and featured the prominent stage figure Pulcinella, which has been long associated with Naples and derived into various types elsewheremost famously as the puppet character Punch (of the eponymous Punch and Judy shows) in England. Vittoria: Vittoria was an orphan and dressed in tattered rags much like lelio she was always taken down a peg by her infatuation. [25] The companies would employ carpenters, props masters, servants, nurses, and prompters, all of whom would travel with the company. I Gelosi was the first incorporated theatre troupe of its kind that employed professional actors. This site has been designed for the sole purpose of providinga dramaturgical resource guide for students involved with the Ohio State University Theatre Department's 2016 production of Richard Bean's One Man, Two Guvnors. Flaminio Scala, who had been a minor performer in the Gelosi published the scenarios of the commedia dell'arte around the start of the 17th century, really in an effort to legitimize the formand ensure its legacy. While Calmo's characters (which also included the Spanish Capitano and a dottore type) were not masked, it is uncertain at what point the characters donned the mask. . Goldoni: Brighella Italian commedia dell'arte companies appeared in France from the 16th century and pleased both the courtiers, who understood Italian, and the populace, which enjoyed the . Columbinais often a "lead" servant of some kind -- perhaps a lady-in-waiting, perhaps a "head of household" maid -- she undeniably fits with the "zanni" class of servants, and yet, through her intelligence, her wit, her street smarts,and, at times, her ability to use her looks,physique, and batting eyelashses to get anything she wants out of men (including masters), she is often able to be the most influential character in the plot. Pedrolino was his counterpart. In England, elements from it were naturalized in the harlequinade in pantomime and in the Punch-and-Judy show, a puppet play involving the commedia dellarte character Punch. The Flaminio Scala scenarios, published in the early 17th century, are the most widely known collection and representative of its most esteemed compagnia, I Gelosi. He passes himself off as brave to impress others, but is undermined by characters like Harlequin. In commedia dell'arte, female roles were played by women, documented as early as the 1560s, making them the first known professional actresses in Europe since antiquity. Though there was some doubling of masks (roles), most players created their own masks or developed ones already established. Meaning that on stage, each character was performed in its own dialect. Female characters in the masters group, while younger than their male counterparts, are nevertheless older than the amorosi. Christian singing "Your Song" in Moulin Rouge, Archetype: Silvio/Flavio/etc. Lucrezia Di Siena, whose name is on a contract of actors from 10 October 1564, has been referred to as the first Italian actress known by name, with Vincenza Armani and Barbara Flaminia as the first primadonnas and the first well-documented actresses in Italy (and Europe). The characters in Commedia shows were usually stereotypes, embodying a single primary emotion or trait. Commedia dell'arte is a theatrical art form, which gained popularity in Italy, built around comedic situations that arise when stock characters come into conflict. Harlequin's love Columbina is portrayed as an innocent maid or servant. The Atellan Farces of the Roman Empire featured crude "types" wearing masks with grossly exaggerated features and an improvised plot. As time went on, the actors stopped altering the characters, so that the roles became frozen and no longer reflected the conditions of real life, thus losing an important comic element. Actors were known to switch from troupe to troupe "on loan," and companies would often collaborate if unified by a single patron or performing in the same general location. As one of the lovers, the audience must care for her, and forgive her spoiled ways as a symptom of youth rather than true greed. Its stock characters and their costumes have developed over time. Arlecchino is the lovable pauper who is usually on the wrong side of the Masters, but always beloved by the audience. Pulcinella is sometimes called the Southern Arlecchino because of his similarities to the Harlequin character. Pablo Picasso's 1921 painting Three Musicians is a colorful representation of commedia-inspired characters. Archetype: Brighella Some characters in commedia dell'arte are more successful. If you could combine Vizzini from the Princess Bride, Zoidberg from Futurama, andOwl from Winnie the Pooh, you'd have Il Dottore. More than any other element, the Commedia Dell'Arte characters are remembered as the most important and enjoyable elements of the performances. [45][44] During the 17th century, the patches turned into blue, red, and green triangles arranged in a symmetrical pattern. Sometimes called Arlechinno, Harlequin is one of the most instantly recognizable characters from commedia dell'arte. In his smartest incarnations, he's part Charlie Chaplin, part Bugs Bunny; the rest of the time, when not QUITE so wise, he's one part Tigger, one part Bart Simpson, one part Red Bull Energy Drink, and a large dollop of Pixar's UP's "Doug the Dog" saying "SQUIRREL." The Italian arte here translates as "profession" or "craft," distinguishing it from more amateur theatre forms such as pageants and festival plays. For examples of strange instruments of various grotesque formations, see articles by Tom Heck, who has documented this area. Commedia dell'arte performance, Paris, 1768. In other words, the characteristics of the character and the characteristics of the mask are the same. And Isabella Andreini was a great, famous and cherished actress, cultivated and a poet of considerable talent, and also quite daring on stage. An example of a commedia dell'arte character in literature is the Pied Piper of Hamelin who is dressed as Harlequin. He added an enormous black hat, changed the robe to a jacket cut similarly to Louis XIV, and added a flat ruff to the neck. [44][45] Usually, there was a bat and a wallet that would hang from his belt. Harlequin, Italian Arlecchino, French Arlequin, one of the principal stock characters of the Italian commedia dell'arte; often a facile and witty gentleman's valet and a capricious swain of the serving maid. Sono queste due delle 342 le lettere scritte dall'artista e adesso restaurate da Casa Buonarroti a Firenze. Her innocence is a bit of a ruse--depending on how she is performed, she may be a perky and flirtatious character, or a quick-witted one known to outsmart the others. Goldoni: Smeraldina He sometimes has a tear painted on one cheek, giving him a very similar appearance to some contemporary images of clowns. Take a comicalEbenezer Scrooge and occassionally add a dash of Family Guy's Herbert, and you'vegot Pantalone. Elements from this comedy were used to create further art forms, like the pantomime. In Italian, Innamorati means lovers. Each commedia dellarte company had a stock of scenarios, commonplace books of soliloquies and witty exchanges, and about a dozen actors. Commedia dell'arte performances had peaked by the late 18th century. The efforts of such playwrights as Carlo Goldoni (170793) to reform Italian drama sealed the fate of the decaying commedia dellarte. Harlequin, in particular, was allowed to comment on current events in his entertainment. This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Comici-Confidenti. Goldoni borrowed from the older style to create a new, more realistic form of Italian comedy, and audiences greeted the new comedy with enthusiasm. The rich verbal humour of the regional dialects was lost on foreign audiences. 'comedy of the profession')[3] was an early form of professional theatre, originating from Italian theatre, that was popular throughout Europe between the 16th and 18th centuries. The name was used in France after 1680 to distinguish the commedia dell'arte from native French drama produced at the Comdie-Franaise. The commedia dell'arte was a form of popular theatre that emphasized ensemble acting; its improvisations were set in a firm framework of masks and stock situations, and its plots were frequently borrowed from the classical literary tradition of the commedia erudita, or literary drama. To be able to hear Ramponi . As this book demonstrates, the diva's . The genesis of commedia may be related to carnival in Venice, where the author and actor Andrea Calmo had created the character Il Magnifico, the precursor to the vecchio (old man) Pantalone, by 1570. Bean: "Charlie the Duck". The Italian players were also popular in England, Spain, and Bavaria. As the richest man in town, he holds a position of power and status in any scenario, with the plot usually revolving around Pantalone standing in the way of two young lovers being together (either because he prefers selling his daughter to someone else, or because he's creepily interested in the female lover himself). (archetypes)[29][39] The character's persona included the specific dialect of the region or town represented. Pantalone represents the love of money. Some of the important characters in Commedia Dell'Arte include Arlecchino, Columbina, Il Dottore, Pantalone, Il Capitano, and the young lovers, Lelio and Isabella. The commedia dellarte was a form of popular theatre that emphasized ensemble acting; its improvisations were set in a firm framework of masks and stock situations, and its plots were frequently borrowed from the classical literary tradition of the commedia erudita, or literary drama. Pantalone was a Venetian merchant: serious, rarely consciously comic, and prone to long tirades and good advice. European puppet shows, the English harlequinade, French pantomime, and the cinematic slapstick of Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton all recall the glorious comic form that once prevailed. Virginia Ramponi is a talented actress, having only a week to learn the title role of Arianna after the tragic passing of the young soprano. Commedia dell'arte is performed seasonally in Denmark on the Peacock Stage of Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen, and north of Copenhagen at Dyrehavsbakken. He was turned into Scaramuccia by Tiberio Fiorillo, who, in Paris with his own troupe (164547), altered the captains character to suit French taste. Audiences came to see the performers, with plotlines becoming secondary to the performance. [31] Members would also splinter off to form their own troupes, such was the case with the Ganassa and the Gelosi. Women, who usually played servants or lovers, wore less stylized costumes than the men in commedia. Conventional plot lines were written on themes of sex, jealousy, love, and old age. One important character in Commedia shows is Arlecchino, or Harlequin, who performs physical comedy called lazzi, is always hungry, and carries a wooden stick. The lovers, Innamorati, would wear what was considered to be the fashion of the time period. Curiously, commedia dell'arte was equally if not more popular in France, where it continued its popularity throughout the 17th century (until 1697), and it was in France that commedia developed its established repertoire. He's a pastiche of a servant or worker like a baker: he's dressed in long, white, baggy clothes with a big hat that looks something like a chef's hat. Example of a best-friend as brash sounding board inThis Means War. 1. [12], The characters of the commedia usually represent fixed social types and stock characters, such as foolish old men, devious servants, or military officers full of false bravado. Fun fact: the trousers associated with the character Pantalone became known as ''pantaloons'' due to his popularity, later shortened to just ''pants''. This was in reference to the nomadic nature of the troupes, often instigated by persecution from the Church, civil authorities, and rival theatre organisations that forced the companies to move from place to place. Bean: Francis. In keeping with the tradition of the Italian Academies, I Gelosi adopted as their impress (or coat of arms) the two-faced Roman god Janus. Companies would also find themselves summoned by high-ranking officials, who would offer patronage in return for performing in their land for a certain amount of time. Igor Stravinsky's Petrushka and Pulcinella allude directly to the tradition. Female servants wore bonnets. They would move on to the next location while their popularity was still active, ensuring the towns and people were sad to see them leave, and would be more likely to either invite them back or pay to watch performances again should the troupe ever return. Enrolling in a course lets you earn progress by passing quizzes and exams. The female character in the masters group is called Prima Donna and can be one of the lovers. She usually helps the lovers in their quest to get together. This chapter examines the lives and careers of some of the first commedia dell'arte actresses, who worked in Italy and toured to other European countries, such as France, Spain and England, from the mid-sixteenth century until the first decades of the seventeenth century. Columbina is usually depicted as a maid. His face is covered by a white mask or white paint, making him seem even sadder or even ghost-like, as though he's wasting away. They would only wear plain half-masks with no character distinction or street makeup. Review the commedia dell'arte genre. From its earliest times, performances are unscripted, held outside, and employ few props. La sua novit la professionalizzazione del. [33] The term vagabondi was used in reference to the comici, and remains a derogatory term to this day (vagabond). More often than not, if Columbina is present in a Commedia scenario, she'll be the one to unravel the play's many knots, or at least give the leads the advice they need. Create your account. His mask is brown or black, with a beaked nose, and is decorated with wrinkles, warts, or other deformities. A troupe often consisted of ten performers of familiar masked and unmasked types, and included women. In Italy, commedia masks and plots found their way into the opera buffa, and the plots of Rossini, Verdi, and Puccini. All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. He is usually depicted as more intelligent than Arlecchino and he is less sympathetic. [7][8] Commedia was often performed outside on platforms or in popular areas such as a piazza (town square). Moliere made great use of the Columbina archetype in his maids (see especially Dorine in Tartuffe), though she also often pops up in "funny-but-wise best friend" positions in various contemporary romantic comedies. Commedia dell Arte. Sasha Blakeley has a Bachelor's in English Literature from McGill University and a TEFL certification. Commedia Dell'Arte is a type of Italian improvisational theatre that developed in the sixteenth century. The commedia dell'arte took shape as a full-fledged art form when female performers were admitted on the professional stage in the 1560s. Published December 19, 2014 at 7:31 AM PST. Commedia dell'arte troupes are still performing today, so don't pass up the chance to see this unique and influential theatrical form! Mozart's Don Giovanni sets a puppet show story and comic servants like Leporello and Figaro have commedia precedents. Taviani, Ferdinando and Marotti, Ferruccio, and Romei, Giovanna. It was largely improvised, with skilled actors reciting and adapting scenes and monologues to fit an ever-changing play. [41] In time however, the word maschere came to refer to all of the characters of the commedia dell'arte whether masked or not. Last edited on 13 February 2023, at 10:09, "Faction of Fools | A History of Commedia dell'Arte", https://calperformances.org/learn/program_notes/2011/pn_gerstein.pdf, "The Commedia dell'arte: Its Origins, Development & Influence on the Ballet", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Commedia_dell%27arte&oldid=1139096957, Colorful tight-fitting jacket and trousers, Corduroy jacket and pants, red and white cross-striped socks, Can be colourful on par with Arlecchino or black and white, Compagnia dei Fedeli: active 16011652, with, Compagnia dei Confidenti: active 15741599; reformed under, Aguirre, Mariano 'Qu es la Commedia dell'arte' (Spanish). Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Prominent examples include The Tempest by William Shakespeare, Les Fourberies de Scapin by Molire, Servant of Two Masters (1743) by Carlo Goldoni, the Figaro plays of Pierre Beaumarchais, and especially Love for Three Oranges, Turandot and other fiabe by Carlo Gozzi. [45], Il Dottore's costume was a play on the academic dress of the Bolognese scholars. She then returned to the Gelosi. [45] His hat, which was a soft cap, was modeled after Charles IX or after Henri II, and almost always had a tail of a rabbit, hare or a fox with the occasional tuft of feathers. Commedia dell'arte moved outside the city limits to the thtre de la foire, or fair theatres, in the early 17th century as it evolved toward a more pantomimed style. (The characters of Isabella, Lelio, Flavio and Vittoria are all part of the Innamorati. The method has been used for different purposes in theatrical history. Actors, both male and female, were known to strip nearly naked, and storylines typically descended into crude situations with overt sexuality, considered to teach nothing but "lewdness and adulteryof both sexes" by the French Parliament. Typically, Capitano wears an exaggerated military uniform, with a feathered hat and ornate boots. Performers made use of well-rehearsed jokes and stock physical gags, known as lazzi and concetti, as well as on-the-spot improvised and interpolated episodes and routines, called burle (singular burla, Italian for 'joke'), usually involving a practical joke. That said, don't mistake his self-infatuation with the more villainous Il Capitano -- Silvio, like Isabella, isn't a bad guy he's just a bit overly spoiled and sheltered. There are many characters associated with the form. He is typically another character's servant, trying to undermine their authority and chase after Columbina, his love interest. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. He usually pairs these two with a big black coat called a zimarra.[45][44]. Doltish yet honest, he was often the victim of his fellow comedians pranks. The works of a number of playwrights have featured characters influenced by the commedia dell'arte and sometimes directly drawn from it. Corrections? Commedia evolved into various configurations across Europe, and each country acculturated the form to its liking. Accounts of the early commedia, as far back as Calmo in the 1570s and the buffoni of Venice, note the ability of comici to sing madrigali precisely and beautifully. Additionally, which characters were considered Zanni could change. [45], Il Capitano's costume is similar to Il Dottore's in the fact that it is also a satire on military wear of the time. [4][5] It was formerly called Italian comedy in English and is also known as commedia alla maschera, commedia improvviso, and commedia dell'arte all'improvviso. Her dress is usually simple, but can also have a patchwork pattern similar to Harlequin's. In commedia dell'arte performances, other characters undermine his seeming wisdom, making him come off as more of a quack than anything else. In the early period, representative works by painters at Fontainebleau were notable for their erotic depictions of the thinly veiled innamorata, or the bare-breasted courtesan/actress. She was often played in either a domino or no mask at all, and often dressed in high fashion. His mask has round cheeks and a snub nose. These helped audiences identify what each character personifies and made it easy to identify the character in each commedia dell'arte performance. [45][44] Over the gown, he would have a long black robe that went down to his heels, and he would have on black shoes, stockings, and breeches. Robert Guillaume's brilliant "Benson" character, Geoffrey from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, and, as included below, Rowan Atkinson as the Prince's Butler in the third season of Blackadder. Commedia Dell'Arte survived to further influence the dramatic arts, it went on to significantly influence works of Shakespere such as "As You Like It', "Twelth Night" and "The Merchant Of Venice . He is an associate of Pantalone's, and usually holds some position of learning (a judge, professor, lawyer, physician, etc.). Goldoni: Silvio Commedia dell'Arte Characters. [24] This view may be somewhat romanticized since records describe the Gelosi performing Tasso's Aminta, for example, and much was done at court rather than in the street. Since the productions were improvised, dialogue and action could easily be changed to satirize local scandals, current events, or regional tastes, while still using old jokes and punchlines. La Commedia dell'Arte tom inicialmente sus tramas y situaciones de la commedia erudita, pero a diferencia de sta, cuyo texto se escriba ntegramente, ahora la improvisacin libre de los actores era privilegio esencial, por lo que se llam tambin commedia all'improviso.
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