Dictionary:
com·me·dia dell'ar·te (kə-mā'dē-ə dĕl-är'tē, -tĕ, -mĕd'ē-ə)  |
A type of comedy developed in Italy in the 16th and 17th centuries and characterized by improvisation from a standard plot outline and the use of stock characters, often in traditional masks and costumes.
[Italian : commedia, comedy + dell'arte, of the guild, professional (from arte, art, craft, guild).]
| Britannica Concise Encyclopedia: commedia dell'arte |
For more information on commedia dell'arte, visit Britannica.com.
| Dictionary of Dance: commedia dell'arte |
Italian improvised comic theatre popular from the 16th to 18th centuries, whose stock characters, such as Harlequin and Columbine, are familiar to audiences all over Europe. The form, which from the start incorporated many dance-like elements such as acrobatics and pantomime, has provided the inspiration for many ballets, from Petipa's Les Millions de Harlequin (1900), to Fokine's Carnaval (1910), Massine's Pulcinella (1920), and Tetley's Pierrot lunaire (1962).
| French Literature Companion: Commedia dell'arte |
Italian popular theatre, first brought to France in the 16th c. It was originally a theatre of improvisation, relying on the reappearance of stock types, or masks, such as the servants Arlecchino [see Arlequin], Scaramuccia [see Scaramouche], Scapino, and Pedrolino (Pierrot), the old man Pantalone, and a pair of young lovers, whose desires form the basis of the plot. Acrobatics and physical business (lazzi) played a large part in this theatre, as did verbal wit and innuendo. The commedia was the origin of the Comédie-Italienne in France, and exerted a great influence on Molière. A full treatment of the subject will be found in the Oxford Companion to the Theatre.
[Peter France]
| Columbia Encyclopedia: commedia dell'arte |
Characters of the Commedia Dell'Arte
The characters or “masks,” in spite of changes over the years, retained much of their original flavor. Most important were the zanni, or servant types; Arlecchino, or Harlequin, was the most famous. He was an acrobat and a wit, childlike and amorous. He wore a catlike mask and motley colored clothes and carried a bat or wooden sword, the ancestor of the slapstick. His crony, Brighella, was more roguish and sophisticated, a cowardly villain who would do anything for money. Figaro and Molière's Scapin are descendants of this type. Pedrolino was a white-faced, moon-struck dreamer; the French Pierrot is his descendant. Pagliaccio, the forerunner of today's clown, was closely akin to Pedrolino.
Pulcinella, as seen in the English Punch and Judy shows, was a dwarfish humpback with a crooked nose, the cruel bachelor who chased pretty girls. Pantalone or Pantaloon was a caricature of the Venetian merchant, rich and retired, mean and miserly, with a young wife or an adventurous daughter. Il Dottore (the doctor), his only friend, was a caricature of learning—pompous and fraudulent; he survives in the works of Molière. Il Capitano (the captain) was a caricature of the professional soldier—bold, swaggering, and cowardly. He was replaced by the more agile Scarramuccia or Scaramouche, who, dressed in black and carrying a pointed sword, was the Robin Hood of his day.
The handsome Inamorato (the lover) went by many names. He wore no mask and had to be eloquent in order to speak the love declamations. The Inamorata was his female counterpart; Isabella Andreini was the most famous. Her servant, usually called Columbine, was the beloved of Harlequin. Witty, bright, and given to intrigue, she developed into such characters as Harlequine and Pierrette. La Ruffiana was an old woman, either the mother or a village gossip, who thwarted the lovers. Cantarina and Ballerina often took part in the comedy, but for the most part their job was to sing, dance, or play music. None of the women wore masks.
Influence
The impact of commedia dell'arte on European drama can be seen in French pantomime and the English harlequinade. The ensemble companies generally performed in Italy, although a company called the comédie-italienne was established in Paris in 1661. The commedia dell'arte survived the early 18th cent. only by means of its vast influence on written dramatic forms.
Bibliography
See K. M. Lea, The Italian Popular Comedy (2 vol., 1934, repr. 1962); W. Smith, Commedia Dell'arte (rev. ed. 1964); P. L. Duchartre, The Italian Comedy (tr. 1928, repr. 1965); A. Nicoll, The World of Harlequin: A Critical Study of the Commedia dell'Arte (1987).
| History 1450-1789: Commedia Dell'arte |
Commedia dell'arte is a term applied to both the early Italian commercial theater in general and to a format institutionalized by sixteenth-century professional actors' improvisations on a three-act scenario. The scenarios were constructed from a repertoire of plot types and movable parts (theatergrams) drawn primarily from novellas and scripted "erudite" comedies, set in contemporary city squares and representing love stories complicated by mistakes, deceits, parental opposition, and family separations.
In addition to singing and dancing, the players could counterfeit regional dialects and double in several roles while specializing in one of them. A standard troupe would include two pairs of lovers speaking Tuscan; several masked characters, including the old Venetian merchant Pantalone, the Bolognese Doctor Gratiano, at least two zanies, such as Bergamask Arlecchino, Fritellino, or later Neapolitan Pulcinella, Scaramuccia, and their like; boastful captains with bellicose names, such as Rodomonte, Spavento, or Matamoros; and a couple of maidservants. Innkeepers, Germans, gypsies, Turks, magicians, peddlers, and other occasional roles were added according to plot.
The first documented actors' troupe-for-hire was formed in Padua in 1545; by 1560 companies included women, and in the early 1570s several were touring abroad. Among the constantly merging prominent troupes were the Gelosi, the Desiosi, the Fedeli, the Confidenti, and the Uniti, at different times featuring leading performers of the day, the Andreini and Martinelli families, Diana Ponti, Vittoria Piissimi, and Flaminio Scala.
The professional troupes and their improvising style influenced the development of Italian drama and established a symbiosis with literary drama: the actors also memorized and performed five-act erudite comedies, tragedies, and pastoral plays, from which they borrowed for scenarios on which to improvise. Sometimes they even wrote in this format, while many literary dramatists enlivened their own works by drawing upon the commedia dell'arte's stock types, theatricality, movement, stage business, and gags, both verbal and visual.
The most successful players gained high patronage in Italian and related European academic and court circles, often traveling to France, Spain, and England in the late sixteenth century. For nearly two hundred years thereafter the commedia dell'arte in various permutations was a vital theatrical force throughout Europe. Its presence in France from the 1570s on constituted a significant chapter in French theater history. Visits to the royal court in Paris were followed by the establishment of the Comédie-Italienne and, after its suppression in 1697, by a revival in 1716 by Luigi Riccoboni. The Italian companies influenced Molière (1622–1673) and eventually Marivaux (1688–1763), nurtured French versions of stock roles like Mezzetin, Scaramouche, or Scapin and Gallic additions, from Turlupin and Captain Fracasse to Pierrot and Pierrette, as well as leaving a memory in Watteau's painting.
Long sojourns in Madrid not only influenced Lope de Vega (1562–1635), but also made the commedia dell'arte a primary transmitter of Spanish drama to Italy through adaptations and translations of Calderón and other Golden Age dramatists. The connection with England has been harder to document, but scrutiny of Shakespeare's theatrical practice and associations reveals his savvy awareness of Italian theater technology in general and of the professional players in particular.
In the mid-seventeenth century, the first two creative generations of the commedia dell'arte—represented by Francesco, Isabella, and G. B. Andreini, P. M. Cecchini, and Niccolo Barbieri—were replaced by a less versatile, bureaucratized profession. The troupes, which employed an increasingly fixed repertoire of masks and farcical plots, became dependent on the market economy of theater-owners and impresarios. The popularity of the commedia dell'arte continued to grow, however, and its characters and style prospered everywhere, with especial brilliance in Naples and Venice, and were imitated by cultivated amateurs in private the-atricals.
In the course of the eighteenth century, the commedia dell'arte was widely perceived to have hardened into cliches and, despite the imaginative continuation of Carlo Gozzi, it declined as Carlo Goldoni's reforms moved the Italian theater toward realism.
By the nineteenth century the commedia dell'arte had become a vestigial element in opera and a subject for romanticizing scholarship.
Bibliography
Clubb, Louise George. Italian Drama in Shakespeare's Time. New Haven, 1989.
Heck, Thomas F. Commedia dell'Arte: A Guide to the Primary and Secondary Literature. New York, 1988.
Henke, Robert. Performance and Literature in the Commedia dell'Arte. Cambridge, U.K., 2002.
Lea, Kathleen M. Italian Popular Comedy: A Study in the Commedia dell'Arte 1560–1620, with Special Reference to the English Stage. Oxford, 1934.
Molinari, Cesare, ed. La commedia dell'arte. Rome, 1999.
—LOUISE GEORGE CLUBB
| Literary Glossary: Commedia dell'arte |
An Italian term meaning "the comedy of guilds" or "the comedy of professional actors". This form of dramatic comedy was popular in Italy during the sixteenth century. Actors were assigned stock roles (such as Pulcinella, the stupid servant, or Pantalone, the old merchant) and given a basic plot to follow, but all dialogue was improvised. The roles were rigidly typed and the plots were formulaic, usually revolving around young lovers who thwarted their elders and attained wealth and happiness. A rigid convention of the commedia dell'arte is the periodic intrusion of Harlequin, who interrupts the play with low buffoonery. Peppino de Filippo's Metamorphoses of a Wandering Minstrel gave modern audiences an idea of what commedia dell'arte may have been like. Various scenarios for commedia dell'arte were compiled in Petraccone's La commedia dell'arte, storia, technica, scenari, published in 1927.
| Wikipedia: Commedia dell'arte |
 |
This article may require copy-editing for grammar, style, cohesion, tone or spelling. You can assist by editing it now. (September 2007) |
 |
This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (July 2009) |
Commedia dell'Arte (Italian: "the comedy of art (of improvisation)") is a form of improvisational theatre that began in Italy in the 15th century, maintained its popularity through the 16th century, and is still performed today.[1] Performances were unscripted, held outside and used few props. They were funded by donations and anyone could view the performance free of charge. A troupe consisted of ten people. Outside Italy the form was also known as "Italian Comedy".
Contents |
Some theatre critics believe, however, that commedia may even date back to Roman times around 200 AD. It is thought that the Romans used commedia techniques in the theatre of the time, including some of the characters described below, although with different names. These are much the same characteristics of the more modern 'Il Capitano'. It is quite possible that this kind of improvised acting was passed down the Italian generations until the 1600s, when it was revived as a professional theatrical technique. The first records of commedia dell'arte performances come from Rome as early as 1551.[2]
Commedia dell'arte appeared to fade during the 18th century as new forms like comédie larmoyante gained in attraction in France. However, as currently used the term "Commedia dell'Arte" was coined in the mid-18th century.[3] In the 19th century, George Sand, Chopin and other literary elites rediscovered the ailing art form in Nohant, France in 1846. While exploring and discussing ancient forms of theatre, they discovered their interest in commedia dell'arte and constructed a theatre devoted to it in 1848. Commedia has received a great deal of attention from several 20th century theatre practitioners, including Jacques Copeau, Meyerhold, Jacques Lecoq and others, because of their wish to move away from naturalism.[4]
Picasso's painting The Three Musician's painted in 1921 shows in colorful detail commedia inspired characters. [5]
According to 18th century London theatre critic Barretti, commedia dell'arte incorporates specific roles and characters that were "originally intended as a kind of characteristical representative of some particular Italian district or town."[6] The character's persona included the specific dialect of the region or town represented. Additionally each character has a singular costume and mask that is representative of the character's role.[7]
Arlecchino - also known as Harlequin. Arlecchino is a clown, the "blundering servant of Bergamo."[8] Typically acrobatic and mischievous, he is one of the zanni. He is a servant, and recognizable by the colorful diamond-shaped patches that traditionally were part of his costume. The part is sometimes substituted with Truffaldino, his son. His mask has a low forehead with a wart, and he sometimes wore a black stocking wound round the lower face and then up over the head. Arlecchino is often the servant of Pantalone, or sometimes of Il Dottore. He is in love with Colombina, but she only makes fun of him. He can often have a close relationship with the audience, involving them in the action or gesturing to them. The Arlecchino character also tries to trick his masters and is always plotting and planning, but his plans never work.
Pantalone - a member of the vecchi. Pantalone represents "a Venetian merchant"[9] and he is the archetypal "old miser". He is quite wealthy but very greedy. He only cares about money and he will do anything to get it. His costume usually incorporates a long beard and red pants.
Il Dottore - the doctor, appears to be a learned man, but generally that impression proves to be false. Dottore represents a Bolognese physician.[10] He is elderly, wealthy, and a member of the vecchi. Pedantic and miserly, he is hopelessly unsuccessful with women. In an attempt to impress, he prattles constantly about a topic. Everyone believes that what he is saying is true, but most of the time it is erroneous. This leads the dramatis personae into trouble and confusion.
Brighella - plays either a shopkeeper or servant who is always looking for a way to profit from any given situation, and will cheerfully lie to save himself.
Il Capitano (The Captain) - swashbuckling and bold, but not necessarily heroic, Il Capitano generally wears the military dress of the day. His attire is generally foppish and overdone. He is usually played as a braggart, a ladies' man, and a cavalier. He is motivated by his desire for sex.
Colombina - is the female counterpart of Arlecchino. She is also a servant and a member of the zanni. She frequently initiates the plot of the play and is usually portrayed as clever, crafty, and untamed. Her costume often had the same colored patches found in Arlecchino's outfit. Representative of a "servetta", Columbina is unmasked and traditionally spoke in the Roman or Tuscan dialect.[11]
The Innamorati are the lovers. The innamorato and innamorata had many different names over time ("Isabella" was a particularly popular name for the woman, as was "Flavio" for the man). They are young, righteous, and hopelessly in love with one another. They wear the most fashionable dress of the day. They never play in mask. Often seen singing, dancing, or reciting poetry, they are frequently portrayed as the children of Dottore and Pantalone. This parentage depends on the circumstances of the plot. They are madly in love, but only manage to surmount the obstacles put in the way of their happiness at the end of the play.
Pedrolino - also known as "Pierrot" or "Pedro", is the loyal servant. He is hardworking, trustworthy, honest and devoted to his master. Charming and likable, he wears a loose white outfit with a neck ruff. When onstage Pedrolino tends to be the butt of physical jokes.
Pulcinella - sometimes called "Punch," is portrayed as pitiable, helpless, and often physically disfigured. He usually has a hump, a distinct limp, or some other obvious physical deformity. In some portrayals he cannot speak, and expresses himself with squeaks or other strange sounds. His personality can be either foolish or sly and shrewd. Pulcinella is from Apulia.[12]
Sandrone - is represented as a Modenese peasant who is crude, clever, and cunning. He wears a corduroy jacket, short corduroy pants, red and white cross-striped socks, flowers, a vest, farmer's boots, and sports a nightcap with a tassel.
Scaramuccia - also known as Scaramouche, is a roguish character who wears a black velvet mask, black trousers, a shirt and a hat. He is usually portrayed as a buffoon or boastful coward.
La Signora is the wife of Pantalone and the mistress of Pedrolino. She is tough, beautiful and calculating. She wears very wide dresses and very heavy makeup. She walks with a flick of the toe and her arms held far out to the sides of her body. She is often played by a man for comedic purposes.
Tartaglia - short sighted with a terrible stutter, he is one of the stock old characters who appears in many scenarios as one of the lovers. His social status varies; he is sometimes a bailiff, lawyer, notary or chemist. Dramatist Carlo Gozzi turned him into a statesman, and so he remained thereafter. Tartaglia wears a large felt hat, an enormous cloak, oversized boots, a long sword, a giant mustache and a cardboard nose.
Zanni - an eternally unfortunate servant.
Conventional plot lines were written on themes of adultery, jealousy, old age, and love. 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 fourth century BC. 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. 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 punch lines. Characters were identified by costumes, masks, and props, such as a type of baton known as a slapstick. These characters included the forebears of the modern clown, namely Harlequin (English for arlecchino) and Zanni.
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 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. There are countless variations on this story, as well as many that diverge wholly from the structure, such as a well-known story about Arlecchino becoming mysteriously pregnant, or the Punch and Judy scenario.
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
 | Pedro Calderón De La Barca |
| Carlo Goldoni |
| Humor |
 | What country does Commedia Dell'Arte come from? Read answer... |
| What year did the Commedia Dell'arte start? Read answer... |
| Key features of commedia dell'arte? Read answer... |
 | Why was Commedia Dell'arte so popular? |
| What city did Commedia Dell'arte come from? |
| How did commedia dell'Arte begin? |
Copyrights:
 |
 | Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2007. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. Read more |
 |
| Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. © 2006 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. All rights reserved. Read more |
 |
| Dictionary of Dance. The Oxford Dictionary of Dance. Copyright © 2000, 2004 by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. Read more |
|
| French Literature Companion. The New Oxford Companion to Literature in French. Copyright © 1995, 2005 by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. Read more |
 |
| Columbia Encyclopedia. The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition Copyright © 2003, Columbia University Press. Licensed from Columbia University Press. All rights reserved. www.cc.columbia.edu/cu/cup/ Read more |
 |
| History 1450-1789. Encyclopedia of the Early Modern World. Copyright © 2004 by The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Read more |
 |
| Literary Glossary. © 2006 through a partnership of Answers Corporation. All rights reserved. Read more |
 |
| Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Commedia dell'arte". Read more |
Mentioned in
|
