91-588: Scapino or Scapin is a Zanni character from the commedia dell'arte . His name is related to the Italian word scappare ('to escape') and his name translates to 'little escape artist', in reference to his tendency to flee from fights, even those he himself begins. He is a Bergamo native, and was popularized by the actor Francesco Gabrielli . Later versions show his costume with green (or sometimes turquoise) and white stripes, similar to Mezzetino 's red and white, but Callot shows Scapino in an outfit similar to
182-562: A captain and a servetta (serving maid)". Commedia often performed inside in court theatres or halls, and also as some fixed theatres such as Teatro Baldrucca in Florence. 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 form—and ensure its legacy. These scenarios are highly structured and built around
273-517: A commedia dell'arte company in which the performers find their life situations reflecting events they depict on stage. Commedia characters also figure in Richard Strauss 's opera Ariadne auf Naxos . The piano piece Carnaval by Robert Schumann was conceived as a type of masked ball that combined characters from commedia dell'arte with real world characters, such as Chopin , Paganini , and Clara Schumann , as well as characters from
364-514: A fresh range of expression and choreographic means. An example of a commedia dell'arte character in literature is the Pied Piper of Hamelin who is dressed as Harlequin . Music and dance were central to commedia dell'arte performance, and most performances had both instrumental and vocal music in them. Brighella was often depicted with a guitar, and many images of the commedia feature singing innamorati or dancing figures. In fact, it
455-478: A greater reputation in the noble profession. But, to tell the truth, merit is too ill rewarded nowadays, and I have given up everything of the kind since the trouble I had through a certain affair that happened to me. OCTAVE: How? What affair, Scapin? SCAPIN: An adventure in which justice and I fell out. OCTAVE: Justice and you? SCAPIN: Yes; we had a trifling quarrel. SILVESTRE: You and justice? SCAPIN: Yes. She used me very badly; and I felt so enraged against
546-472: A high-class courtesan. Female characters in the masters group, while younger than their male counterparts, are nevertheless older than the amorosi . Some of the better known commedia dell'arte characters are Pierrot and Pierrette, Pantalone , Gianduja , il Dottore , Brighella , il Capitano , Colombina , the innamorati , Pedrolino , Pulcinella , Arlecchino , Sandrone , Scaramuccia (also known as Scaramouche), la Signora , and Tartaglia . In
637-505: A joke or "something foolish or witty", usually well known to the performers and to some extent a scripted routine. Another characteristic of commedia is pantomime , which is mostly used by the character Arlecchino , now better known as Harlequin. 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 . The characters are exaggerated "real characters", such as
728-427: A know-it-all doctor called il Dottore , a greedy old man called Pantalone , or a perfect relationship like the innamorati . Many troupes were formed to perform commedia , including I Gelosi (which had actors such as Isabella Andreini and her husband Francesco Andreini ), Confidenti Troupe, Desioi Troupe, and Fedeli Troupe. Commedia was often performed outside on platforms or in popular areas such as
819-400: A number of innamorati were skilled madrigalists , a song form that uses chromatics and close harmonies . Audiences came to see the performers, with plotlines becoming secondary to the performance. Among the great innamorate , Isabella Andreini was perhaps the most widely known, and a medallion dedicated to her reads "eternal fame". Tristano Martinelli achieved international fame as
910-509: A number of playwrights have featured characters influenced by the commedia dell'arte and sometimes directly drawn from it. Prominent examples include The Tempest by William Shakespeare , Les Fourberies de Scapin by Molière , The Servant of Two Masters (1743) by Carlo Goldoni , the Figaro plays of Pierre Beaumarchais , and especially The Love for Three Oranges , Turandot and other fiabe by Carlo Gozzi . Influences appear in
1001-667: A partisan platform, Napoleon outlawed the commedia dell'arte. It was not reborn in Venice until 1979 because of this. Compagnie, or companies, were troupes of actors, each of whom had a specific function or role. Actors were versed in a plethora of skills, with many having joined troupes without a theatre background. Some were doctors, others priests, others soldiers, enticed by the excitement and prevalence of theatre in Italian society. Actors were known to switch from troupe to troupe "on loan", and companies would often collaborate if unified by
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#17327941535281092-624: A piazza ( town square ). The form of theatre originated in Italy, but travelled throughout Europe—sometimes to as far away as Moscow. 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 (meaning 'old one' or simply 'old') Pantalone, by 1570. In the Flaminio Scala scenario, for example, Il Magnifico persists and
1183-475: A result, commedia was reduced to formulaic and stylized acting; as far as possible from the purity of the improvisational genesis a century earlier. In France, during the reign of Louis XIV , the Comédie-Italienne created a repertoire and delineated new masks and characters, while deleting some of the Italian precursors, such as Pantalone. French playwrights, particularly Molière , gleaned from
1274-507: A servant of Pantalone . Of all of the commedia archetypes, Zanni's survival instinct is the strongest. Zanni is also always hungry, which leads to a vision of Utopia where "everything is comestible, reminiscent of the followers of gluttony in carnival processions". A Zanni also has an animistic view of the world in that he senses a spirit in everything, so it could be eaten. Zanni is ignorant, loutish, and has no self-awareness. The simple act of thinking does not seem to be natural to Zanni. He
1365-581: A single patron or performing in the same general location. Members would also splinter off to form their own troupes, such was the case with the Ganassa and the Gelosi. These compagnie travelled throughout Europe from the early period, beginning with the Soldati, then, the Ganassa, who travelled to Spain, and were famous for playing the guitar and singing—never to be heard from again—and the famous troupes of
1456-482: A steady stream of comic relief throughout the scenario . Second Zanni are assumed to be from the lower city of Bergamo. Between the two of them they make up one person of "less than average intelligence". Before developing this dualistic person of the two types of clever and silly servant, Zanni was a character in its own right. The performance of a commedia actor relies on the acting itself. A scenario should be playable in different ways and seem different each time
1547-477: A type of baton known as a slapstick . These characters included the forebears of the modern clown , namely Harlequin and the Zanni. Harlequin, in particular, was allowed to comment on current events in his entertainment. The classic, traditional plot is that the innamorati are in love and wish to be married, but one elder ( vecchio ) or several elders ( vecchi ) are preventing this from happening, leading
1638-464: A type of characteristic representative of some particular Italian district or town" (archetypes). The character's persona included the specific dialect of the region or town represented. Meaning that on stage, each character was performed in its own dialect. Characters would often be passed down from generation to generation, and characters married onstage were often married in real life as well, seen most famously with Francesco and Isabella Andreini. This
1729-406: A variety of poses. These include crouching with the elbows on the knees and the chin in the hands, or sitting with the feet splayed bending at the hips with the elbows slightly elevated. In commedia , Zanni has a variety of at least six different types of walks. These walks include The Little Zanni, The Big Zanni, Zanni Running, Zanni Jubilant, Vain Zanni, and Soldier Zanni. The Little Zanni walk
1820-400: Is a character type of commedia dell'arte best known as an astute servant and a trickster. The Zanni comes from the countryside and is known to be a "dispossessed immigrant worker". Through time, the Zanni grew to be a popular figure who was first seen in commedia as early as the 14th century. The English word zany derives from this character. The longer the nose on the characters mask,
1911-432: Is a colorful representation of commedia -inspired characters. Picasso also designed the original costumes for Stravinsky 's Pulcinella (1920), a ballet depicting commedia characters and situations. Commedia iconography is evident in porcelain figurines many selling for thousands of dollars at auction. The expressive theatre influenced Molière 's comedy and subsequently ballet d'action , thus lending
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#17327941535282002-451: Is a development of a basic stance. The Zanni's feet are constantly changing but on each shift, The Zanni takes a tiny step forward. The feet are to be pointed, shoulders down, and elbows forward. The Zanni's knees come high off of the ground and to the side. The Zanni's head is to peck like a chicken, but the Zanni have to be sure not to bob their head up and down. A two-time rhythm is used with even beats. The Big Zanni walk includes sticking
2093-447: Is a very faithful individual who prefers to live in the present day. Zanni never looks for a place to sleep; it just seems to happen to him often in situations where it shouldn't, like a drunkard . Lastly, all of his reactions are completely emotional. Zanni is born into an immigrant background and is known for performing both "duty and necessity" and also plays an active role in the "game" of breaking up and unifying relationships. Zanni
2184-401: Is also known for his ability to scheme and manipulate. The role of Zanni is known as being a "stupid genius"; this contradiction prevents Zanni from approaching daily life in a rational manner. Zanni's stupidity prevents him from performing simple tasks, while his genius gives him the ability to make the impossible possible. The evolution of the character Zanni was of two distinct types, one of
2275-437: Is called Prima Donna and can be one of the lovers. There is also a female character known as The Courtisane who can also have a servant. Female servants wore bonnets. Their character was played with a malicious wit or gossipy gaiety. 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. married an old man, or
2366-572: Is centred in Florence , Mantua , and Venice, where the major companies came under the protection of the various dukes . 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 elsewhere—most famously as the puppet character Punch (of the eponymous Punch and Judy shows) in England. Although commedia dell'arte flourished in
2457-426: Is holding a rifle. The Zanni marches with his shoulders moving up and down in a two-time rhythm but in three beats: "tramper-tramp, tramper-tramp, tramp, tramp, tramp....". The Zanni is loud and his voice is coarse due to making a living outdoors trying to be heard in a market or busy street. Zanni is also known to be vocal with sounds including farting, burping, and snoring. The following sample dialogue shows how
2548-499: Is interchangeable with Pantalone into the 17th century. While Calmo's characters (which also included the Spanish Capitano and a il Dottore type) were not masked, it is uncertain at what point the characters donned the mask. However, the connection to Carnival (the period between Epiphany and Ash Wednesday ) would suggest that masking was a convention of Carnival and was applied at some point. The tradition in northern Italy
2639-443: Is known to be clever and witty, and is known as il furbo ( lit. ' the clever ' ). The first Zanni can trick and cheat anyone whom they come across. It is a must that they are cynically sharp. The first Zanni is also known to be the go-between. The job of the first Zanni is to advance the action and give it some movement, with a slightly cynical twist. In some traditions, first Zanni are said to be from Val Brembana , in
2730-537: Is more probable that the comici used contemporary novella or traditional sources, and drew from current events and local news of the day. Not all scenarios were comic, there were some mixed forms and even tragedies. 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. Comici performed written comedies at court. Song and dance were widely used, and
2821-415: Is not to say his wits are without merit. In Molière 's play Les Fourberies de Scapin , Zerbinette mentions what "a clever servant [Léandre] has. His name is Scapin. He is a most wonderful man and deserves the highest praise." He is a schemer and scoundrel, and takes a certain pride in these facts. He was originally a masked character, although later versions usually have the actor simply powder his face. He
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2912-471: Is traditionally shown with a hooked nose and a pointed beard. Like Brighella, Scapino is a Jack of all trades and depends on the needs of the scenario for his occupation. Scapino is depicted musically in William Walton 's 1940 composition, Scapino: A Comedy Overture . A 1974 play of the same name , adapted by Jim Dale and Frank Dunlop from Les Fourberies de Scapin by Molière, opened at
3003-672: The Brooklyn Academy of Music in New York in 1974. From Molière 's Les Fourberies de Scapin : SCAPIN: To tell you the truth, there are few things impossible to me when I once set about them. Heaven has bestowed on me a fair enough share of genius for the making up of all those neat strokes of mother wit, for all those ingenious gallantries to which the ignorant and vulgar give the name of impostures; and I can boast, without vanity, that there have been very few men more skilful than I in expedients and intrigues, and who have acquired
3094-536: The Gelosi performing Tasso 's Aminta , for example, and much was done at court rather than in the street. By the mid-16th century, specific troupes of commedia performers began to coalesce, and by 1568 the Gelosi became a distinct company. In keeping with the tradition of the Italian Academies, the Gelosi adopted as their impress (or coat of arms) the two-faced Roman god Janus . Janus symbolized both
3185-516: The Italian theatre during the Mannerist period, there has been a long-standing tradition of trying to establish historical antecedents in antiquity. While it is possible to detect formal similarities between the commedia dell'arte and earlier theatrical traditions, there is no way to establish certainty of origin. Some date the origins to the period of the Roman middle republic ( Plautine types ) or
3276-411: The province of Bergamo ; in others they are attributed to the upper city of Bergamo . The second Zanni is known as lo stupido . The second Zanni must be foolish, clumsy, and dull. The second Zanni is also unable to tell his right hand from his left. He is a dull-witted peasant who can be simple and also ridiculous. Second Zanni, in particular with Harlequin, does not so much advance plot as maintain
3367-528: The 17th century, as commedia became popular in France, the characters of Pierrot, Columbine and Harlequin were refined and became essentially Parisian, according to Green. Each character in commedia dell'arte has a distinct costume that helps the audience understand who the character is. Harlequin originally wore a tight fitting long jacket with matching trousers that both had numerous odd shaped patches, usually green, yellow, red, and brown. Usually, there
3458-703: The French Parliament. The term vagabondi was used in reference to the comici , and remains a derogatory term to this day ( vagabond ). 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. A troupe often consisted of ten performers of familiar masked and unmasked types, and included women. The companies would employ carpenters, props masters, servants, nurses, and prompters, all of whom would travel with
3549-471: The Golden Age (1580–1605): Gelosi, Confidenti, Accessi. These names which signified daring and enterprise were appropriated from the names of the academies—in a sense, to lend legitimacy. However, each troupe had its impresse (like a coat of arms) which symbolized its nature. The Gelosi, for example, used the two-headed face of the Roman god Janus , to signify its comings and goings and relationship to
3640-414: The Italian stage. The Italian scholar Ferdinando Taviani has collated a number of church documents opposing the advent of the actress as a type of courtesan, whose scanty attire and promiscuous lifestyle corrupted young men, or at least infused them with carnal desires. Taviani's term negativa poetica describes this and other practices offensive to the church, while giving us an idea of the phenomenon of
3731-625: The Urine", the Zanni is told that burying his urine and the urine produced by his wife will give him a son. Zanni gets a urinal that produces both and before he spills it into the soil, he treats it as a special fluid. Stupidity/ Inappropriate Behavior: in "Lazzi of Counting Money", the Zanni divides Pantalone's money between Pantalone and himself in the following way: "One for Pantalone, two for me (gives one coin to Pantalone and two to himself); two for Pantalone, three for me (gives one coin to Pantalone and three to himself), etc." Another popular lazzi
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3822-508: The Zanni is one of the most physically demanding of all the Masks. The Zanni's costume usually consists of white baggy clothing. This clothing was traditionally made out of flour sacks. This was similar to the dress of peasants and farmworkers of the time. A specific type of Zanni, Brighella , wore accents of green to indicate his tricky and devious nature. Harlequin , however, was known for his irregular colored patches that eventually became
3913-501: The Zanni uses his speech in commedia : A lazzo is a joke or gag in mime or in words. The following lazzi examples are short comic routines by the character type Zanni. In "Lazzi of the Cat" the Zanni mimics the actions of a cat, demonstrating how the cat hunts for wild birds or how the cat cleans himself by scratching his ears with his feet and cleaning his body with his mouth. Sexual / Scatological Lazzi: in "Lazzi of Burying
4004-481: The audience collectively so he is able to address the audience directly. Zanni contributes to the plot by being the "principal contributor to any confusion". Commedia dell%27arte Commedia dell'arte ( / k ɒ ˈ m eɪ d i ə d ɛ l ˈ ɑːr t eɪ , k ə -, - ˈ m ɛ d i ə , - ˈ ɑːr t iː / kom- AY -dee-ə del- AR -tay, kəm-, - ED -ee-ə, - AR -tee , Italian: [komˈmɛːdja delˈlarte] ; lit. ' comedy of
4095-442: The audience sees it. The actors who play Zanni must be clever and equally talented, because an actor's success relies primarily on their dialogue partner. If the partner does not reply to them at the right moment or interrupts them in the wrong place, the actor's "discourse falters and the liveliness of their wit is extinguished". He must be acrobatic, able to walk on his hands and on stilts, dance, skip and somersault. In this respect,
4186-684: The beating which I.... GÉRONTE. Ah me! be silent. SCAPIN. That unfortunate beating that I gave.... GÉRONTE. Be silent, I tell you; I forgive you everything. SCAPIN. Alas! how good you are. But is it really with all your heart that you forgive me the beating which I...? GÉRONTE. Yes, yes; don't mention it. I forgive you everything. You are punished. SCAPIN. Ah! Sir, how much better I feel for your kind words. GÉRONTE. Yes, I forgive you; but on one condition, that you die. SCAPIN. How! Sir? GÉRONTE. I retract my words if you recover. SCAPIN. Oh! oh! all my pains are coming back. Zanni Zanni ( Italian: [ˈdzanni] ), Zani or Zane
4277-400: The character. In other words, the characteristics of the character and the characteristics of the mask are the same. In time however, the word maschere came to refer to all of the characters of the commedia dell'arte whether masked or not. Female characters (including female servants) are most often not masked (female amorose are never masked). The female character in the masters group
4368-566: The chest forward and the backside up. The feet need to be in fourth extended with the knees bent. The Zanni has to lower his center of gravity. This walk can be used by a Zanni when he pretends to cross the stage without being seen or when he wants to get himself out of a difficult situation. Zanni Running includes swift movements with legs kicking out in front of him with his toes pointed. His arms move opposite to his legs. Zanni Jubilant involves skipping on his toes with his center of gravity moving from side to side. This type of walk also involves
4459-466: The comings and goings of this travelling troupe and the dual nature of the actor who impersonates the "other". The Gelosi performed in northern Italy and France, where they received protection and patronage from the King of France. Despite fluctuations, the Gelosi maintained stability for performances with the "usual ten": "two vecchi , four innamorati (two male and two female lovers), two Zanni ,
4550-493: The commedia dell'arte performance. By the early 17th century, the Zanni comedies were moving from pure improvisational street performances to specified and clearly delineated acts and characters. Three books written during the 17th century— Cecchini's [ it ] Fruti della moderne commedia (1628), Niccolò Barbieri 's La supplica (1634) and Perrucci's Dell'arte rapresentativa (1699)—"made firm recommendations concerning performing practice". Katritzky argues that, as
4641-472: The company. 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. This nomadic nature, although influenced by persecution, was also largely due in part to the troupes requiring new (and paying) audiences. They would take advantage of public fairs and celebrations, most often in wealthier towns where financial success
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#17327941535284732-748: The composer's inner world. Movements of the piece reflect the names of many characters of the commedia , including Pierrot , Harlequin, Pantalone , and Columbine. Stock characters and situations also appear in ballet. Igor Stravinsky 's Petrushka and Pulcinella allude directly to the tradition. Commedia dell'arte is performed seasonally in Denmark on the Peacock Stage of Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen, and north of Copenhagen at Dyrehavsbakken . Tivoli has regular performances, while Bakken has daily performances for children by Pierrot and
4823-475: The course of time became subdivided into a number of similar characters with more specific traits. These included Harlequin (Arlecchino), Pulcinella , Mezzettino and Truffaldino , as well as Beltrame and Brighella . Harlequin, for example, was more representative of a jester than an ordinary servant and was frequently depicted as very acrobatic. Zanni was shortened to Zan when used to provide further identification of an individual. For example, Zan Ganassa
4914-548: The diamond shaped lozenges took shape. The jacket became shorter and his hat changed from a soft cap to a double pointed hat. Il Dottore's costume was a play on the academic dress of the Bolognese scholars. Il Dottore is almost always clothed entirely in black. He wore a long black gown or jacket that went below the knees. 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. In 1653, his costume
5005-423: The dispatch of the Italian comedians from France in 1697, the form transmogrified in the 18th century as genres such as comédie larmoyante gained in attraction in France, particularly through the plays of Marivaux . Marivaux softened the commedia considerably by bringing in true emotion to the stage. Harlequin achieved more prominence during this period. It is possible that this type of improvised acting
5096-528: The early Brighella 's, white with a tabaro and a sword on his belt, and topped with a torn hat adorned with feathers. He is in fact a variant on Brighella, more cowardly and less clever. Some people call him Brighella's brother, some his son. Scapino tends to make a confusion of anything he undertakes and metaphorically "flees" from one thought, activity or love interest to another, as his name implies, although he usually will return to it—eventually. Self-preservation and self-interest are his main concerns. This
5187-421: The early republic ( Atellan Farces ). The Atellan Farces of the early Roman republic featured crude "types" wearing masks with grossly exaggerated features and an improvised plot. Some historians argue that Atellan stock characters, Pappus, Maccus+Buccus, and Manducus, are the primitive versions of the commedia characters Pantalone , Pulcinella , and il Capitano . More recent accounts establish links to
5278-411: The earth or from carrying heavy bags and chairs. Zanni's back is arched when he stands up and his knees are bent and apart with splayed feet. The support knee is bent and the other leg is extended with his toe pointed. He switches his feet a lot while speaking or listening within the same position, and without his head moving up and down. Zanni's elbows are usually bent and arms half lifted. Zanni also has
5369-430: The essence of the entire outfit. The Zanni are also known to sport a peaked hat and a wooden sword. The Zanni at first wore a full faced carnival mask, but because of the need for dialogue between Pantalone and the Zanni, the bottom of the mask was hinged and eventually cut away altogether. The longer the nose of the Zanni, the stupider he is said to be. The stance of Zanni has a "lowered centre of gravity" either from
5460-742: The first of the great Harlequins, and was honoured by the Medici and the Queen of France. 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 ( sg. : burla , Italian for 'joke'), usually involving a practical joke. 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. Characters were identified by costumes, masks, and props , such as
5551-439: The first primadonnas and the first well-documented actresses in Italy (and Europe). In the 1570s, English theatre critics generally denigrated the troupes with their female actors (some decades later, Ben Jonson referred to one female performer of the commedia as a "tumbling whore"). By the end of the 1570s, Italian prelates attempted to ban female performers; however, by the end of the 16th century, actresses were standard on
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#17327941535285642-534: The form to its liking. For example, pantomime , which flourished in the 18th century, owes its genesis to the character types of the commedia , particularly Harlequin . The Punch and Judy puppet shows, popular to this day in England, owe their basis to the Pulcinella mask that emerged in Neapolitan versions of the form. In Italy, commedia masks and plots found their way into the opera buffa , and
5733-556: The hands being placed on the belt. Vain Zanni's steps are a smaller version of the Big Zanni walk with the hands placed on the belt as seen in the Zanni Jubilant. When the Zanni's leg lifts, his chest is forward and his arms are in the position of a chicken. This type of walk is used when the Zanni has a "...new button or a feather on his cap". Soldier Zanni holds a stick in one hand and inclines it over his shoulder like he
5824-421: The ingratitude of our age that I determined never to do anything for anybody. But never mind; tell me about yourself all the same. ___ Scapin pretends to be mortally wounded and begs forgiveness for his wrongdoings. SCAPIN. (to GÉRONTE.) It is you, Sir, I have offended the most, because of the beating with the cudgel which I.... GÉRONTE. Leave that alone. SCAPIN. I feel in dying an inconceivable grief for
5915-914: The lodgers in Steven Berkoff 's adaptation of Franz Kafka 's The Metamorphosis . Through their association with spoken theatre and playwrights commedia figures have provided opera with many of its stock characters. Mozart 's Don Giovanni sets a puppet show story and comic servants such as Leporello and Figaro have commedia precedents. Soubrette characters such as Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro , Zerlina in Don Giovanni and Despina in Così fan tutte recall Columbine and related characters. The comic operas of Gaetano Donizetti , such as L'elisir d'amore , draw readily upon commedia stock types. Leoncavallo 's tragic melodrama Pagliacci depicts
6006-409: The lovers to ask one or more Zanni (eccentric servants) for help. Typically the story ends happily, with the marriage of the innamorati and forgiveness for any wrongdoings. While generally personally unscripted, the performances often were based on scenarios that gave some semblance of a plot to the largely improvised format. The Flaminio Scala scenarios, published in the early 17th century, are
6097-637: The masked types), and excessive borrowing as opposed to originality was typical of all the arts in the late Italian Renaissance . Theatre historian Martin Green points to the extravagance of emotion during the period of commedia 's emergence as the reason for representational moods, or characters, that define the art. In commedia , each character embodies a mood: mockery, sadness, gaiety, confusion, and so forth. According to 18th-century London theatre critic Baretti , commedia dell'arte incorporates specific roles and characters that were "originally intended as
6188-552: The medieval jongleurs, and prototypes from medieval moralities, such as Hellequin (as the source of Harlequin, for example). The first recorded commedia dell'arte performances came from Rome as early as 1551. Commedia dell'arte was performed outdoors in temporary venues by professional actors who were costumed and masked, as opposed to commedia erudita ( lit. ' learned comedy ' ), which were written comedies, presented indoors by untrained and unmasked actors. This view may be somewhat romanticized since records describe
6279-466: The more foolish the character. The name "Zanni" (as well as "Zuan") is a variant of the name Gianni and was common in the Lombard-Venetian countryside which provided most of the servants to the wealthy nobles and merchants of Venice . In Italian it is specifically a name of someone whose identity is not of any importance. It is one of the oldest characters in commedia dell'arte, but over
6370-512: The most influential painters, Lodewyk Toeput, for example, became Ludovico Pozzoserrato and was a celebrated painter in the Veneto region of Italy. The pittore vago can be attributed with establishing commedia dell'arte as a genre of painting that would persist for centuries. While the iconography gives evidence of the performance style (see Fossard collection), many of the images and engravings were not depictions from real life, but concocted in
6461-408: The most widely known collection and representative of its most esteemed compagnia , I Gelosi . The iconography of the commedia dell'arte represents an entire field of study that has been examined by commedia scholars such as Erenstein, Castagno, Katritzky, Molinari, and others. In the early period, representative works by painters at Fontainebleau were notable for their erotic depictions of
6552-460: The period the Capitano is from. Pantalone has one of the most iconic costumes of commedia dell'arte. Typically, he would wear a tight-fitting jacket with a matching pair of trousers. He usually pairs these two with a big black coat called a zimarra . Women, who usually played servants or lovers, wore less stylized costumes than the men in commedia . The innamorati would wear what
6643-478: The plots and masks in creating an indigenous treatment. Indeed, Molière shared the stage with the Comédie-Italienne at Petit-Bourbon , and some of his forms, e.g. the tirade , are derivative from the commedia ( tirata ). Commedia dell'arte moved outside the city limits to the théâtre de la foire , or fair theatres, in the early 17th century as it evolved toward a more pantomimed style. With
6734-522: The plots of Rossini , Verdi , and Puccini . During the Napoleonic occupation of Italy, instigators of reform and critics of French Imperial rule (such as Giacomo Casanova ) used the Carnival masks to hide their identities while fueling political agendas, challenging social rule and hurling blatant insults and criticisms at the regime. In 1797, in order to destroy the impromptu style of Carnival as
6825-471: The profession ' ) was an early form of professional theatre , originating from Italian theatre , that was popular throughout Europe between the 16th and 18th centuries. It was formerly called Italian comedy in English and is also known as commedia alla maschera , commedia improvviso , and commedia dell'arte all'improvviso . Characterized by masked "types", commedia was responsible for
6916-413: The rise of actresses such as Isabella Andreini and improvised performances based on sketches or scenarios. A commedia , such as The Tooth Puller , contains both scripted and improvised portions; key plot points and characters' entrances and exits are scripted, but the actors may otherwise be expected to improvise new gags on stage. A special characteristic of commedia is the lazzo ,
7007-599: The season of Carnival , which took place in January. Janus also signified the duality of the actor, who is playing a character or mask, while still remaining oneself. Magistrates and clergy were not always receptive to the travelling compagnie, particularly during periods of plague, and because of their itinerant nature. 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 adultery...of both sexes" by
7098-428: The silly servant and the other of the cunning servant. These two components developed over the course of the history of the commedia dell'arte , and players began to specialize in the two types who were called "first Zanni" and "second Zanni". Mezzetino and Brighella are examples of the first Zanni; Harlequin and Pulcinella are examples of the second. A scenario must always have at least two Zanni. The first Zanni
7189-585: The studio. The Callot etchings of the Balli di Sfessania (1611) are most widely considered capricci rather than actual depictions of a commedia dance form, or typical masks. While these are often reproduced in large formats, the actual prints measured about 2×3 inches. In the 18th century, Watteau 's painting of commedia figures intermingling with the aristocracy were often set in sumptuous garden or pastoral settings and were representative of that genre. Pablo Picasso 's 1921 painting Three Musicians
7280-528: The symmetry of the various types in duet: two Zanni, vecchi , innamorate and innamorati , etc. 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. 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
7371-482: The thinly veiled innamorata , or the bare-breasted courtesan/actress. The Flemish influence is widely documented as commedia figures entered the world of the vanitas genre, depicting the dangers of lust, drinking, and the hedonistic lifestyle. Castagno describes the Flemish pittore vago ('wandering painter') who assimilated themselves within Italian workshops and even assumed Italian surnames: one of
7462-437: The troupe ever return. Prices were dependent on the troupe's decision, which could vary depending on the wealth of the location, the length of stay, and the regulations governments had in place for dramatic performances. Generally, the actors playing were diverse in background in terms of class and religion, and performed anywhere they could. Castagno posits that the aesthetic of exaggeration, distortion, anti-humanism (as in
7553-400: Was Zanni walking behind his master mounted on a mule and goading it to go faster by blowing air from a pair of bellows onto the animal's anus. A Zanni is known to take and briefly keep items that belong to someone else. Some items that the Zanni would keep would be bags, letters, valuables, or food. Zanni's relationship to the audience is that he is the most sympathetic character and treats
7644-401: Was a bat and a wallet that would hang from his belt. 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. During the 17th century, the patches turned into blue, red, and green triangles arranged in a symmetrical pattern. The 18th century is when the iconic Harlequin look with
7735-457: Was believed to make performances more natural, as well as strengthening the bonds within the troupe, who emphasized complete unity between every member. Additionally, each character has a singular costume and mask that is representative of the character's role. Commedia dell'arte has four stock character groups: Masked characters are often referred to as "masks" (Italian: maschere ), which, according to John Rudlin, cannot be separated from
7826-457: Was changed by Augustin Lolli who was a very popular il Dottore actor. 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. 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. This costume would therefore change depending on where the Capitano character is from, and
7917-565: Was considered part of the innamorati function to be able to sing and have the popular repertoire under their belt. 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. The danzatrice probably accompanied the troupes and may have been in addition to the general cast of characters. For examples of strange instruments of various grotesque formations, see articles by Tom Heck, who has documented this area. The works of
8008-414: Was considered to be the fashion of the time period. They would normally not wear masks but would be heavily makeuped. Conventional plot lines were written on themes of sex , jealousy , love , and old age . Many of the basic plot elements can be traced back to the Roman comedies of Plautus and Terence , some of which were themselves translations of lost Greek comedies of the 4th century BC. However, it
8099-538: Was more probable. 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. Companies in fact preferred to not stay in any one place too long, mostly out of a fear of the act becoming "stale". 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 probably to either invite them back or pay to watch performances again should
8190-534: Was passed down the Italian generations until the 17th century, when it was revived as a professional theatrical technique. However, as currently used, the term commedia dell'arte was coined in the mid-18th century. 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. Commedia evolved into various configurations across Europe, and each country acculturated
8281-597: Was the stage name of Alberto Naseli, who was one of the first actors specializing in Zanni roles to perform outside of Italy. Overall, the Zanni in early commedia dell'arte is the name for the 'carter', which is the servant. The name Zanni became a "technical term to define all of the servants". Some characters in commedia that are derived from Zanni are Harlequin, Brighella, Scapino , Mescolino and Mezzettino, Scaramuccia (aka Scaramouche ), Pulcinella, Pedrolino , Giangurgolo , Tartaglia , Trappolino , and Burratino . The earliest literary evidence portrays Zanni as
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