Isabella (commedia dell'arte)

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Drawing of Isabella by Maurice Sand SAND Maurice Masques et bouffons 10.jpg
Drawing of Isabella by Maurice Sand

Isabella is a stock character used in commedia dell'arte , in the class of innamorata (female lover). In the commedia dell'arte, the relationship of the innamorati, or lovers, is often threatened by the vecchi (old men) characters, but they are reunited in the end. [1] In his 1929 book The Italian Comedy, Pierre Louis Duchartre writes that Isabella changed from being mainly tender and loving in the 16th century to a more flirtatious and strong-willed woman with a "lively, picturesque wit" by the end of the 17th century. [2]

Although actress Vittoria degli Amorevoli also played an inamorata named Isabella in the 16th century, the character Isabella is named in honor of the actress and writer Isabella Andreini of the commedia troupe I Gelosi, who popularized the role. [3] [2] A latter Isabella was played by Françoise Biancolelli of the Biancolelli acting family. [4] [2]

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zanni</span> Class of satellite characters from commedia dellarte

Zanni, Zani or Zane 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, the more foolish the character.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pantalone</span> Principal character in commedia dellarte

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Pulcinella is a classical character that originated in commedia dell'arte of the 17th century and became a stock character in Neapolitan puppetry. Pulcinella's versatility in status and attitude has captivated audiences worldwide and kept the character popular in countless forms since his introduction to commedia dell'arte by Silvio Fiorillo in 1620.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Isabella Andreini</span> Italian actress and writer (1562–1604)

Isabella Andreini, also known as Isabella Da Padova, was an Italian actress and writer. Andreini was a member of the Compagnia dei Comici Gelosi, a touring theatre company that performed in Italy and France. The role of Isabella of the commedia dell'arte was named after her.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pedrolino</span>

Pedrolino is a primo ("first") Zanni, or comic servant, of the commedia dell'arte; the name is a hypocorism of Pedro (Peter), via the suffix -lino. The character made its first appearance in the last quarter of the 16th century, apparently as the invention of the actor with whom the role was to be long identified, Giovanni Pellesini. Contemporary illustrations suggest that his white blouse and trousers constituted "a variant of the typical Zanni suit", and his Bergamasque dialect marked him as a member of the "low" rustic class. But if his costume and social station were without distinction, his dramatic role was certainly not: as a multifaceted first Zanni, his character was—and still is—rich in comic incongruities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mezzetino</span> Fictional character

Mezzetino, also Mezzettino, is a character from the commedia dell'arte and is considered by Duchartre to be a variant on the stock character Brighella. His name means "Half-Measure " in Medieval Italian, and he is sometimes called in French and English plays "Mezzetin". He first appeared in the 16th century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Burattino</span>

Burattino, also Burrattino or Burratino, is a minor commedia dell'arte character of the Zanni class.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Gelosi</span> Theatre company

I Gelosi was an Italian acting troupe that performed commedia dell'arte from 1569 to 1604. Their name stems form their motto: Virtù, fama ed honor ne fèr gelosi, long thought to mean "Virtue, fame and honour made us jealous", or "We are jealous of attaining virtue, fame, and honour", signifying that such rewards could only be attained by those who sought for them jealously. Modern reevaluations have considered "zealous" as a more accurate translation over "jealous", redefining their motto to signify that, as actors, they were zealous to please.

<i>Commedia dellarte</i> Form of theatre originating in Italy

Commedia dell'arte 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 the rise of actresses such as Isabella Andreini and improvised performances based on sketches or scenarios. A commedia, such as The Tooth Puller, is both scripted and improvised. Characters' entrances and exits are scripted. A special characteristic of commedia is the lazzo, 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caterina Biancolelli</span> Italian actress

Caterina Biancolelli (1665–1716) was an Italian actress in the commedia dell'arte style of theater. She was one of the earliest actresses to play the role of Colombina, and one of the most famous.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beltrame</span>

Beltrame is a traditional character of the commedia dell'arte associated to the city of Milan, and dating back to the 16th-17th century or earlier. It is also often referenced by the full name Beltrame di Milano and also as Beltrame di Gaggiano or Beltrame de la Gippa.

Flaminio Scala, commonly known by his stage name, Flavio, was an Italian stage actor of Commedia dell'Arte, scenario writer, playwright, director, producer, manager, agent, and editor. Considered one of the most important figures in Renaissance theatre, Scala is remembered today as the author of the first published collection of commedia scenarios, Il Teatro delle Favole Rappresentative, short comic plays that served as inspiration to playwrights such as Lope de Vega, William Shakespeare, Ben Jonson, and Molière.

Diana Ponti, also known as Lavinia Ponti, was an Italian stage actress.

References

  1. Meagher, Jennifer (2007). "Commedia dell'arte". The Metropolitan Museum of Art . Retrieved 29 January 2020.
  2. 1 2 3 Duchartre, Pierre Louis (1966). The Italian Comedy. New York: Dover. pp.  272-276. ISBN   9780486216799.
  3. Katritzky, M. A. (2006). The Art of Commedia: A Study in the Commedia Dell'Arte 1560-1620 with Special Reference to the Visual Records. Rodopi. ISBN   978-90-420-1798-6.
  4. Radulescu, Domnica (2014-01-10). Women's Comedic Art as Social Revolution: Five Performers and the Lessons of Their Subversive Humor. McFarland. ISBN   978-0-7864-8858-2.