Commedia dell'arte: a child of two traditions. Italian commedia dell'arte

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2 slide- COMEDY DEL ARTE (commedia dell "arte); another name is the comedy of masks, - improvisational street theater Italian Renaissance, which arose by the middle of the 16th century. and, in fact, formed the first professional theater in history.
Commedia dell'arte emerged from street festivals and carnivals. Her characters are some kind of social images in which not individual, but typical features are cultivated. There were no plays as such in the commedia dell'arte, only the plot scheme was developed, the script, which in the course of the performance was filled with live replicas, which varied depending on the composition of the audience. It was this improvisational method of work that led the comedians to professionalism - and, first of all, to the development of an ensemble, increased attention to a partner. In fact, if the actor does not carefully follow the improvisational remarks and the line of behavior of the partner, he will not be able to fit into the flexibly changing context of the performance. These performances were the favorite entertainment of the mass, democratic audience. The commedia dell'arte absorbed the experience of the farcical theater, but here the common characters of the "learned comedy" were also parodied. A certain mask was assigned to a particular actor once and for all, but the role - despite the rigid typological framework - varied and developed endlessly in the process of each performance.

3 slide- The very name "commedia dell'arte" contains opposition to the Renaissance "learned" theater, which, as we have already said, was amateur. La commedia - in Italian, not only "comedy" in our sense, but also theater in general, a spectacle; arte - art, but also a craft, a profession. In other words, we are talking about a spectacle played by professionals.
The names of Harlequin, Pierrot or Colombina are known to everyone, but few people know that these heroes of the folk theater have their prototypes in the characters of the commedia dell'arte. An idea of ​​​​the scenarios of the commedia dell'arte is given by the first of the collections that have come down to us (1611), compiled by Flamineo Scala, the leader of the most famous troupe "Gelosi". Following him, several more collections were published. Unfortunately, we almost do not have the earliest short scripts that fit on a piece of paper. They arrived at a later literary processing. In addition, by the end of the XVII century. they began to approach literary drama. The scripts were very different. 99 percent were comedies, but there were also tragedies and pastorals. For example, in the tragedy of Nero, along with Seneca and Agrippina, Brighella and other masks acted. (By the way, it was the Gelosi troupe that first performed Tasso's pastoral Aminta at the summer residence of the Dukes D'Este, on the Belvedere Island in the middle of the Po River. The role of Sylvia was played by best actress troupe - the incomparable Isabella Andreini.)

4 slide- Semi-professional troupes began to appear in Italy (especially in Venice) already at the beginning of the 16th century. They were mainly artisans. The Venetian patricians willingly invited them to their home celebrations, where they performed the comedies of Plautus and Ternetius, eclogues, farces and momaria - musical pantomimes in masks. Most of the members of these communities at the end of the "theatrical season" returned to their original professions: they worked as carpenters, carpenters, and made boots. However, the most talented of them made acting their main profession.

5 slide– A special role in the development of the semi-professional theater was played by Angelo Beolco from Padua (1502-1542), the author of comedies and farces from peasant life, in which he interspersed motifs from the comedies of Plautus. Beolko received a good education, was well acquainted with classical dramaturgy, but, unlike the authors of learned drama, who composed plays in the quiet of offices, he young years started performing on stage. Beolko gathered around him a troupe of amateurs. The activity of this troupe was marked by two important features, which allow us to call Beolco and his comrades the direct predecessors of the commedia dell'arte. First, in contrast to the pastoral peisans, who spoke in a refined language, the peasants in the farces and comedies of Beolko spoke the Padua dialect. (The use of dialects, which, due to the fragmentation of Italy, acquired a special stability, would later become a characteristic feature of the commedia dell'arte and one of the main sources of comedy.) Secondly, the actors from the Beolco troupe performed with constant stage names and in unchanged costumes. Beolko himself chose the role of the broken country boy Rudzante.

6 slide- Beolco was the direct predecessor of the commedia dell'arte, but its true birth occurred about 20 years after his death. In 1560, a performance of the commedia dell'arte was documented in Florence, in 1566 in Manua, and in 1568 in Munich, on the occasion of the wedding of the crown prince, an impromptu comedy with masks was played by Italians living in Bavaria. The Munich performance was described by a humanist writer. There is evidence that the audience was dying of laughter.

7 slide- Around the same time, the most famous commedia dell'arte troupe in Europe, "Gelosi" ("Zealous"), also arose. This troupe, consisting of 12-15 people, brought together a brilliant galaxy of actors. Her true adornment was the famous European actress and poetess, the legendary beauty Isabella Andreini. King Henry III of France himself, captivated by the performance of the troupe, invited the actors to Paris. It is interesting to see how not only the status but, first of all, the self-awareness of actors has changed in these years. In 1634, the book of one of the most educated actors of the commedia dell'arte, Nicolo Barbieri, "A request addressed to those who speak in writing or orally about actors, neglecting their merits in artistic matters," was published. In it, Barbieri, trying to get rid of the actor's inferiority complex, writes: "The goal of the actor is to be useful, amusing."

8 slide- Italian artists have repeatedly emphasized their special position among their brothers. Comparing the Italian and French artists, Isabella Andreini wrote that the Frenchman is made of the same material, "of which the parrots are made, able to say only what they are forced to gouge by heart. How much higher is their Italian ... which, in contrast to the Frenchman, can be compared with a nightingale, composing their trills in a momentary whim of the mood. The Italian actor was also a synthetic actor, that is, he could not only improvise, but also sing, dance, and even perform acrobatic stunts. The fact is that the presentation of the commedia dell'arte was a multi-component action. The main plot was preceded by a prologue, in which two actors with a trumpet and drum called the audience, advertising the troupe. Then an actor appeared, setting out the essence of the performance in verse. Then all the actors poured out and "shari-vari" began, during which the actors demonstrated their skills in everything they could: "That's what we can do, and we can do everything." After that, the actor and actress sang and danced. And only then did they begin to play the plot.

9 slide- The comical peak of the commedia dell'arte was the lanations, buffoonish tricks that had nothing to do with the action and were played by zanni servants. After the completion of the plot, farewell to the audience began, accompanied by dances and songs. One of the actors wrote then that the dead are happy, lying underground, on which grief and death reign, "but we do not have the strength to grieve our sorrows, let's laugh at them." The essence of the commedia dell'arte was "l" anima allegre - "joyful soul".
By the time the "Gelosi" was active, the gaming canon of the commedia dell'arte, obviously, had already taken shape. Formed in in general terms and the most popular masks.

10 slide- The commedia dell'arte had two main centers: Venice and Naples. In accordance with this, two main quartets of masks have developed: northern, or Venetian (Pantalone, Harlequin, Brighella, Doctor) and southern, or Neapolitan (Tartaglia, Scaramuccio, Coviello, Pulcinello). Both quartets often featured the Captain, Fantesca (or Servette), the Lovers. In general, the number of masks that have appeared on the stage of the commedia dell'arte over the two centuries of its existence exceeds a hundred. But they were all modifications of the basic masks listed above.
The masks of the commedia dell'arte can be divided not only into northern and southern quartets, but also into functional groups. The first is satirical masks (old people). The second is comedic (servants). The third is lovers.

11 slide– IN THE IMPROVISATIONS OF THE COMMEDIA DEL ARTE, mimes, acrobats, clowns and dancers took part, bringing a cheerful confusion to the plot.

Artist

fr. – Acteur; ex. - comedian; ex. - Actor

An actor is a professional performer of roles in drama, opera, ballet, variety, circus performances and in cinema. Actors play their roles:
- following the text of the play; or
– following a script that requires improvisation.

12 slide– Harlequin from Italian Arlecchino
Harlequin is a character from the Italian comedy dell'arte.
In the 16th century, Harlequin occupied the position of Zanni the simpleton in the troupe, confusing the intrigue of comedy with his stupid antics. Harlequin simpleton wore a suit covered with multi-colored patches, symbolizing the poverty and stinginess of its owner.
In the 17th century, Harlequin occupied the position of Zanni the rogue in the troupe, actively participating in the development of the action. The patches on the suit of the Harlequin rogue took the form of regular multi-colored triangles, closely adjacent to each other.
In the 18th century, a pathetic element was introduced into the interpretation of the role of Harlequin, making the audience laugh and cry at the same time.

13 slide– Brighella

ital. Brighella from Italian. Briga - trouble
Brighella is a character in the Italian comedy dell'arte;
- was the main spring of intrigue;
- wore a suit of a long white blouse with yellow or green stripes, long white trousers, plain shoes and a cap.

14 slide- Zanni from Italian. – Zanni

Zanni is a character in the Italian comedy dell'arte, which has two varieties:

1 - a rogue, a rogue, a dodger who bore the names of Zanni, Brighella, Pedrolino, Scapino, etc .;
2 - a simpleton, a goof who bore the names Harlequin, Pinocchio, Cola, Flauttino, Pulcinella.

- took an active part in the development of plot intrigue;
- spoke local dialects;
– used black half masks;
They wore peasant clothes: a long linen blouse, long wide trousers, a wide-brimmed hat with a feather, a wooden sword in their belt, and a short cloak.

15 slide- Colombina - a traditional character of the Italian folk comedy - a maid involved in the development of intrigue, in different scenarios also called Fantesca, Servetta, Franceschina, Smeraldina, Mirandolina, etc. Origin: a peasant girl, in the city feeling insecure and unusual.
Behavior. Initially, this is a village fool, similar in character to the Harlequin mask; her honesty and decency are emphasized, as well as her always good mood.

16 slide – Pantaloon(ital. Pantalone, fr. Pantalon) is an Italian comedy mask character wearing long red pants (knickers). Represents the northern (or Venetian) mask quartet, along with Harlequin, Brighella and the Doctor. The prototypes of the Pantaloon mask can be found in ancient comedy ( πάπος in Greece, Papus and Casnar in Rome), as well as in the Italian novel of the Renaissance.
Behavior. Pantalone is usually the center of intrigue, and, as a rule, always remains the victim of someone, most often Harlequin, his servant. He is sick and frail: constantly limping, groaning, coughing, sneezing, blowing his nose, stomach ache. This is a lustful, immoral person, he passionately seeks the love of young beauties, but always fails. His walk is that of an old man, he walks with a slightly crooked back. He speaks in a sharp, shrill, "old man's" voice.

17 slide– The Italian commedia dell'arte produced a whole constellation of brilliant actors (many of whom were the first theorists performing arts): Isabella and Francesco Andreini, Giulio Pasquati, Bernardino Lombardy, Marc-Antonio Romagnesi, Nicolo Barbieri, Tristano Martinelli, Teresa, Catarina and Domenico Biancolelli, Tiberio Fiorilli and others. From the end of the 16th century. Troupes began to tour widely in Europe - in France, Spain, England. Her popularity has reached its peak.
However, by the middle of the 17th century. the commedia dell'arte began to decline. The tightening of the church's policy towards the theater in general, and especially towards the commedia dell'arte, led to the fact that comedians settled in other countries for permanent residence. So, for example, in Paris, on the basis of the Italian troupe, the Comedie Italienne theater was opened.

Commedia dell'arte had a huge impact on the development of the world theatrical art. Its echoes are clearly visible in the dramaturgy of Moliere, Goldoni, Gozzi; in the 20th century - in the work of directors V. Meyerhold, A. Tairov, E. Vakhtangov and others.

Venice masks. Commedia dell'arte masks

Comedy del arte (Italian la commedia dell "arte), or comedy of masks - a type of Italian folk theater, the performances of which were created by improvisation, based on a script containing a brief plot diagram of the performance, with the participation of actors dressed in masks. Also referred to in various sources as la commedia a soggetto (scenario theatre), la commedia all'improvviso (improvisation theatre) or la commedia degli zanni (zanni comedy).

The number of masks in the commedia dell'arte is very large (there are more than a hundred in total), but most of them are related characters who differ only in names and minor details. The main characters of the comedy include two quartets of male masks, the mask of the Captain, as well as characters who do not wear masks, these are the zanni girls and the Lovers, as well as all the noble ladies and gentlemen.

Male characters
Northern (Venetian) quartet of masks:
- Pantalone (Manifico, Cassandro, Uberto), - a Venetian merchant, a miserly old man;
- Doctor (Doctor Balanzone, Doctor Graziano), - pseudo-scientist doctor of law; old man;
- Brighella (Scapino, Buffetto), - the first zanni, an intelligent servant;
- Harlequin (Mezzetino, Truffaldino, Tabarino), - the second zanni, a stupid servant;

Southern (Neapolitan) mask quartet:
- Tartaglia, stuttering judge;
- Scaramuccia, boastful warrior, coward;
- Coviello, the first zanni, a clever servant;
- Pulcinella (Polishinel), second zanni, stupid servant;

The captain is a boastful warrior, a coward, a northern analogue of the Scaramucci mask;
- Pedrolino (Piero, Pajac), servant, one of the zanni.
- Lelio (also, Orazio, Lucio, Flavio, etc.), a young lover;

female characters
- Isabella (also, Luchinda, Vittoria, etc.), young in love; often the heroine was called the name of the actress who played this role;
- Colombina, Fantesca, Fiametta, Smeraldina, etc., are servants.

ZANNI (Zanni) - Common name for a comedic servant. The name comes from male name Giovanni (Giovanni), which was so popular among the common people that it became a household name for a servant. The zanni class includes such characters as Harlequin, Brighella, Pierino, who appeared later. The characteristics of the nameless zanni are an insatiable appetite and ignorance. He lives exclusively for today and does not think about complex matters. Usually devoted to his master, but dislikes discipline. At least 2 such characters participated in the performance, one of which was stupid, and the other, on the contrary, was distinguished by a fox mind and dexterity. They were dressed simply - in a shapeless light blouse and trousers, usually sewn from flour sacks. The mask initially covered the entire face, so to communicate with other heroes of the zanni comedy, it was necessary to raise its lower part (which was inconvenient). Subsequently, the mask was simplified, and it began to cover only the forehead, nose and cheeks. A characteristic feature of the zanni mask is an elongated nose, and its length is directly proportional to the stupidity of the character.

HARLEQUIN (Arlecchino) - zanni of the rich old man Pantalone. Harlequin's costume is distinguished by its brightness and variegation: it is made up of rhombuses of red, black, blue and green colors. Such a pattern symbolizes the extreme poverty of the Harlequin - his clothes, as it were, consist of countless ill-matched patches. This character can neither read nor write, and by origin he is a peasant who left the impoverished village of Bergamo to go to work in prosperous Venice. By nature, Harlequin is an acrobat and a clown, so his clothes should not restrict movement. With him, the mischievous person carries a stick, with which he often bludgeons other characters.

Despite the penchant for fraud, Harlequin cannot be considered a scoundrel - a person just needs to live somehow. He is not particularly smart and rather gluttonous (the love of food is sometimes stronger than the passion for Columbine, and stupidity prevents the amorous plans of Pantalone from being fulfilled). Harlequin's mask was black, with sinister features (according to one version, the word "Harlequin" itself comes from the name of one of the demons of Dante's "Hell" - Alicino). On his head was a white felt hat, sometimes with fox or rabbit fur.
Other names: Bagattino, Trufaldino, Tabarrino, Tortellino, Gradelino, Polpettino, Nespolino, Bertoldino and so on.

COLOMBINA (Columbina) - servant of the Lover (Inamorata). She helps her mistress in matters of the heart, deftly manipulating the rest of the characters, who are often not indifferent to her. Columbine is distinguished by coquetry, feminine insight, charm and dubious virtue. She is dressed, like her constant suitor Harlequin, in stylized colored patches, as befits a poor girl from the provinces. Columbine's head is adorned with a white hat, matching the color of the apron. She does not have a mask, but her face is heavily made up, her eyes are especially brightly drawn.
Other names: Harlequin, Corallina, Ricciolina, Camilla, Lisette.

PEDROLINO or PIERINO (Pedrolino, Pierino) - one of the characters-servants. Pedrolino is dressed in a loose white tunic with huge buttons and too long sleeves, a round corrugated collar around his neck, and a cap hat with a narrow round crown on his head. Sometimes the clothes had large pockets stuffed with souvenirs. romantic nature. His face is always heavily whitened and painted, so there is no need to wear a mask. Despite the fact that Pedrolino belongs to the Zanni tribe, his character is radically different from that of Harlequin or Brighella. He is sentimental, amorous (although he suffers mainly from soubrettes), trusting and devoted to the owner. The poor fellow is usually tormented by unrequited love for Columbine and by the ridicule of other comedians, whose mental organization is not so fine.
The role of Pierino in the troupe was often played by younger son, because this hero had to look young and fresh.

BRIGELLA (Brighella) - Another zanni, Harlequin's partner. In a number of cases, Brigella is a self-made man who started without a penny, but gradually saved up some money and secured a fairly comfortable existence for himself. Often he is portrayed as the owner of a tavern. Brigella is a big lover of money and a ladies' man. It was these two emotions - primal lust and greed - that froze on his green half-mask. In some productions, he appears as a servant, more cruel in character than his younger brother Harlequin. Brigella knows how to please the owner, but at the same time is quite capable of cheating him, not without benefit to herself. He is cunning, sneaky and can, according to the circumstances, be anyone - a soldier, a sailor, and even a thief.

His costume is a white camisole and trousers of the same color, decorated with transverse green stripes. He often carries a guitar with him, as he is prone to playing music.

Brighella's mask, although it was one of the most beloved by ordinary viewers, as a rule, was in the background of intrigue, the lack of active action was compensated by a large number of inserted tricks and musical interludes. Images close to Brighella are present in the comedies of Lope de Vega and Shakespeare; it is also Scapin, Mascaril and Sganarelle by Moliere and Figaro Beaumarchais.

LOVERS (Inamorati) - the constant heroes of the commedia del arte, gentlemen Colombina, Harlequin and other zanni. The lovers look detached from life, pompous characters. If they move, then in a ballet way, exposing their socks unnaturally. They gesticulate a lot and often look in the mirror. The main features of the Lovers are vanity, painful attention to their own appearance, nervousness, immersion in their feelings and complete ineptitude, which is actively used by the zanni. Even their names sound grandiloquent (the men were usually called Silvio, Fabrizio, Aurelio, Orazio, Ottavio, Lelio, Leandro or Florindo, and the women were Isabella, Flaminia, Vittoria, Silvia, Lavinia or Ortensia).
Inamorati always dressed in the latest fashion, exaggeratedly meticulous and smart. The masks were replaced by a thick layer of make-up, thanks to which the roles of Isabella and Lelio were available to far from young actors. In addition, wigs, flies and all kinds of jewelry were an indispensable accessory of their toilet. Young men often dressed up in beautiful military uniform. In the course of the action, the costumes of the Lovers could change several times.

Despite the fact that the intrigue of the comedy is built around the love of the young, lovers always remain in the shadow of zanni masks, and their love is always perceived with a certain amount of irony.

ISABELLA (also, Luchinda, Vittoria, etc.), young lover; often the heroine was called the name of the actress who played this role

PULCINELLA (Pulcinella) - the Italian analogue of the Russian Petrushka, the English Mr. Punch and the French Open. A typical representative of the Neapolitan proletariat with all its characteristic features. It is interesting that Pulcinella is an ambiguous image, he could be in the play both stupid, and cunning, and a servant, and a master, and a coward, and a bully. The name of this character is translated from Italian as "chicken" and is obviously related to his mask, the most noticeable element of which is a large beak-shaped nose. Pulcinella's costume consists of a long, baggy white blouse tied at the waist with a leather strap, loose, shapeless pants, and an unusual oblong hat. He was often depicted as a hunchback. At first, the hump was barely noticeable, then it began to rapidly increase in size, and the stomach also grew in parallel. The bending of Pulcinella symbolizes his fear of beatings (and in the comedy, everyone who stood higher on the social ladder, that is, very many, beat him).

Pantalone (Pantalone) - one of the most famous Venetian masks. Pantalone is an elderly rich merchant who is constantly dragging after some female character (always to no avail). This image embodied the growing strength of the Venetian bourgeoisie. A characteristic feature of Pantalone's costume is a huge codpiece, symbolizing his imaginary male power. Usually the old man was dressed in a dark red doublet and tight pants of the same color, a black cloak with short sleeves and a small black hat, like a fez. A dagger or a purse hung from his belt, and yellow Turkish shoes with sharp, curved toes served as shoes. The dark brown mask had a prominent hooked nose, shaggy gray eyebrows and the same mustache (sometimes also glasses). Pantalone's beard stuck up, sometimes almost touching the tip of the nose, which gave the old man's profile a special comicality. Often, according to the plot, Pantalone wanted to marry a girl with whom his son was in love, and flirted with Colombina, the servant of his daughter Isabella.

CAPTAIN (Il Capitano) - one of the oldest characters in the commedia dell'arte. The captain in the comedy is never a native of the city where the action takes place, but always comes from somewhere far away. Type of arrogant and unprincipled warriors - braggart and adventurer. Depending on the political situation, he could look like a Spaniard or a Turk, although initially this image is Italian. Accordingly, his character also changed - in different periods, the Captain could be a parody of various national traits. Its main features are aggressiveness, unrestrained lies about their imaginary exploits, lack of conscience, the desire for enrichment and the desire to appear dandy and handsome. All this was reflected in his costume, which could be different, but always distinguished by ridiculous pretentiousness and brightness. His clothes, in fact, have always been a parody of the military profession: feathers of loud colors decorated the hat, his legs were buried in high boots with large garters, the camisole was sewn from fabric in a contrasting diagonal strip, and a huge sword hung from the belt. The Captain's mask could be flesh or dark in color, with a long warlike nose and a menacingly protruding stiff mustache. Its purpose was to indicate the contrast between the true (cowardly and deceitful) nature of the character and who he claims to be.

DOCTOR (Il Dottore) - a mask close in character to Pantaloon, an elderly character, usually the father of one of the Lovers (Inamorati). External features of the Doctor were characterized by obesity (sometimes this hero is truly huge), slowness on the stage and important manners of a man of a scientist. He is a parody of the graduates of the University of Bologna, so he constantly says outwardly meaningful, but in fact absurd latin phrases. Has a penchant for gluttony and pornographic jokes, usually offensive to women. He is not rich. The Doctor's costume is a toe-length black varsity gown, black shoes, stockings and breeches, and a black academic cap. A dark mask with gray, tufted eyebrows, as a rule, covered only the forehead and nose. The actor's cheeks remained open - they were brightly blushed to show the character's love for alcohol.
According to the plot, the Doctor often acted as a friend (or rival) of Pantalone and the owner of Pedrolino.

Jester (Jester, Jolly) -represented in commedia dell'arte, this is a classic mask. The Jester first appeared in the Italian theater, then became popular throughout Europe. The costume of this character is distinguished by variegation and multicolor. On the head is a cap with three "ears", to each of which bells are tied.

Scaramuccio (Scaramuccia) is an adventurer and warrior. In later comedies, he often coincided with the image of the Captain. Scaramuccio is usually a servant to one of the older characters. He is most often dressed in all black and wears a black velvet mask.

Tartaglia (Italian: Tartaglia, stutter) - character-mask of the Italian comedy dell'arte. Represents the southern (or, Neapolitan) quartet of masks, along with Coviello, Scaramuccia and Pulcinella. In France, this mask did not take root.
The Tartaglia mask appeared in Naples c. 1610 One of the first interpreters of it were the actors Ottavio Ferrarese and Beltrani da Verona.
Origin: Spaniard who does not speak Italian well.
Occupation: civil servant public service: he can be a judge, a policeman, a pharmacist, a notary, a tax collector, etc.
Costume: a stylized official costume, a uniform hat on a bald head; big glasses on the nose.
Behavior: He is generally an old man with a fat belly; always a stutterer, his signature stunt is the fight against stuttering, which turns a serious monologue, for example, in court, into a comical stream of obscenities.
The mask reaches its greatest popularity by the second half of the 17th century. In the XVIII century. in the fiabs of Carlo Gozzi, this role was played by the actors Agostino Fiorilli and Antonio Sacchi, but in Gozzi this mask no longer has such a limited scope; three oranges).

COVIELLO (Italian Coviello, French Covielle) - character-mask of the Italian commedia dell'arte, the first zanni, the southern version of Brighella. Represents the southern (or, Neapolitan) quartet of masks, along with Tartaglia, Scaramuccia and Pulcinella.
The name of the mask comes from Iacoviello, a Neapolitan pronunciation of the name Giacomino, Yacoviello Giacometto - that was the name of one of the creators of this mask.
Origin: former peasant, native of Cava or Acerra (ancient cities near Naples), speaking a vibrant Neapolitan dialect. Occupation: servant.
Costume: wears a tight-fitting suit, but may occasionally wear simple pantaloons and a vest; often with a sword and mallet stick in his belt; wears a hat with feathers.
Mask: red, with a long, beak-like nose; often wears glasses. Behavior: always acts with cunning, pressure, clever invention, intelligence; grimaces a lot, dances and plays the mandolin or guitar).
The mask was formed by the end of the 16th century. and was typical of Southern Italy. An attempt to move it to the north was unsuccessful, because. lost its recognition and southern temperament; retaining only the external form, the mask became shameless and obscene. However, it received an unexpected development in France, where Molière saw this mask and used it in his comedy "The Tradesman in the Nobility"

The lack of dramaturgy close to the people forced the actors to rework literary plots in the script and in the course of action, compose the text of their roles themselves, while maintaining the main conflict of the Renaissance comedy - the struggle between the old way of life and the new young forces. But Love triumphed over everything - in the name of the joys of love, the most cunning intrigues, the most daring practical jokes, substitutions and disguises were built.

Each character speaks his own dialect: Pantalone - in Venetian; Doctor - in Bologna (the first law university was built in Bolonia); Captain - in neopolitan; Servants - in Bergamo; Lovers - in Tuscan: literary language Italy.
The mask in Del'Arte's comedy had a double meaning: firstly, it was a stage accessory, and secondly, the mask expressed a certain social type, with once and for all established psychological traits, an unchanged appearance and an appropriate dialect. Having once chosen such a mask, the actor did not part with it throughout his entire stage life.

Oh, no matter how much I tried to persuade Irina Anatolyevna, she flatly refuses to make a webinar on commedia dell'arte, with which I have so many wonderful memories!

What to do, not always humor, appropriate at the moment, becomes a classic joke that can amuse even through the ages. But the whole dramaturgy of the commedia dell'arte arose from improvisation.

The masks of traditional characters were supposed to surpass the bright masks of the Venetian carnival in some way. It is strange, but in the homeland of this theater, Angelo Beolco, almost unknown to us, is considered the founder. But this theater is more familiar to us from the work of his compatriot Carlo Goldoni, who worked two hundred years later.

The theater existed in an almost unchanged form from the middle of the 16th century to late XVIII centuries, while having a significant impact on further development Western European Drama Theatre.

The troupes that played the comedies of masks were the first professional theater troupes in Europe, where the foundations of acting were laid (the term commedia dell'arte, or skillful theater, indicates the perfection of actors in a theatrical game) and where elements of directing were present for the first time. These functions were performed by the leading actor of the troupe, called capocomiko(Italian capocomico).

Commedia dell'arte (Italian: commedia dell'arte) is the comedy of masks, a kind of Italian folk (areal) theater. The forerunners of the commedia dell'arte were performances of minstrels and itinerant actors, strong men and clowns, jugglers and conjurers, and even the comic demons from the liturgical drama influenced its development.

It is interesting that in Russia there were also canonical puppet characters. We have one itinerant actor was a kind of man-orchestra. According to Olearius, the actors tied a sheet around their body, lifted its free part up and held it over their heads on poles, thus forming something like a stage. With a folk comedy about Petrushka, who defeated either a priest, or a gentleman, or a doctor, the actors walked the streets, showing puppet shows.

In the commedia dell'arte there was a strict set of masks corresponding to the roles of the actors. The performances were created by improvisation, based on a script containing a short storyline of the performance, with the participation of actors dressed in masks. Also referred to in various sources as la commedia a soggetto (scenario theatre), la commedia all'improvviso (improvisation theatre) or la commedia degli zanni (zanni comedy).

This is a theater that demanded from the actor a well-coordinated performance in the troupe, responding flexibly and accurately to each cue within the framework of the accepted image. The role of the actor here included the development of the dramaturgy of his albeit conditional image, but right in front of the audience, often entering into a skirmish with them.

Geiger Richard "Pierrot and Columbine"

The peak of popularity of the comedy-improvisation with constant characters, moving from performance to performance, fell on the years 1560-1760. Played in performances professional actors- in contrast to the previous era, when amateurs performed in the theater.

This theater demanded not just a sophisticated professional game, but demanded that the actor immediately pour out jokes, maxims, complaints or philosophical treatises, rigidly "working out" the initially agreed "backbone" of the script.

The basis of the script was written in advance and discussed with the members of the troupe based on the planned audience. The male-only performance was a mixture of effervescent humor, satirical dialogue, crude farce, acrobatics, hoaxes, clowning, music, and occasional dancing. All this pushed to the background main topic: the love of one or more young couples.

Intricate love collisions were brought to the fore only based on the female audience.

By the 19th century, the commedia dell'arte was becoming obsolete, but was continued in pantomime and melodrama. In the 20th century comedy serves as a model for the synthetic theater of Meyerhold and Vakhtangov, as well as the French Jacques Copeau and Jean-Louis Barrot, who revived the expressiveness of stage gesture and improvisation and gave great importance ensemble game.

Commedia dell'arte was born from carnival festivities. There was no theater yet, but there were jesters, mimes, masks. Another factor was the emergence of a national Italian dramaturgy. New plays were written by Ariosto, Machiavelli, Bibiena, Aretino, but all these works are of little use for the stage, they are oversaturated with characters and an abundance of storylines. This drama was called "learned comedy" (Italian Commedia erudita).

Principle tipi fissi, in which the same characters (masks) participate in scenarios of different content, today it is widely used in the creation of comedy television series, and the art of improvisation is used in stand-up comedy.

Geiger Richard (1870-1945) "Pierrot and Columbine"

In the ancient Roman theater there was a type of folk performance called atellani. These were obscene farces, originally improvised, whose actors also wore masks; some of the characters were similar in character to the characters of the commedia dell'arte (for example, the Roman mask of Papus and the Italian mask of Pantalone), although it is wrong to speak of the Atellani as the predecessor of the commedia dell'arte: the tradition gap between them is more than twelve centuries. Most likely, we can only talk about the similarity of the circumstances in which these types of theater were born.

The characters of the Roman comedy, rethought under the influence of national customs and mores, became the prototypes of the main characters: the gullible old Venetian merchant Pantalone; the pedantic Doctor of the University of Bologna; the braggart and coward of the Captain, who was easily recognizable as an officer of the hated occupying Spanish army. Because of the confusion heterogeneous elements it was impossible to build single action, and the commedia dell'arte is a series of interludes.

Ludovic Alleamu "Saddled Pierrot"

Angelo Beolco (Rudzante) in the first half of the 16th century composed plays for the Venetian carnivals, using the technique of "learned comedy". Confusing plots were accompanied by tricks and healthy peasant humor. A small troupe gradually gathered around Beolko, where the principle tipi fissi and the use of folk dialectal speech on the stage was established. Finally, Beolko introduced dramatic action dance and music. It was not yet a commedia dell'arte - the Beolco troupe played within given plot, she did not have free play and improvisation - however, the road for the emergence comedy was open. The first mention of the theater of masks dates back to 1555.

Angelo Beolco(Italian Angelo Beolco, stage name- Ruzante (Italian Ruzzante); 1502, Padua - March 17, 1542, Padua) - Italian playwright and actor

Angelo Beolco was illegitimate son a wealthy merchant who owned lands in the vicinity of Padua, who had degrees of doctor of arts and doctor of medicine. Brought up in the family on an equal footing with legitimate children, Angelo received a good education, but he had no rights to the Beolko inheritance, and the need forced him to enter the theater stage.

At the age of 18, Beolko organized an amateur troupe in Padua, which gave performances during carnivals, composed for this troupe, always in the Padua dialect, small scenes from the Padua village life that he knew well - buffoon, comedy and even tragic, ending in murders.

The actors of the Beolko troupe performed under constant names and in unchanged costumes - Beolko called them unchanged types (tipi fissi), although the nature of the role could vary depending on the genre. Beolko himself created the image of a cheerful and broken peasant boy from the outskirts of Padua - Ruzante, who knew how to sing and dance well.

In various plays, Rudzante could be a deceived husband, a stupid servant or a boastful warrior, but his character remained constant, and this constancy was emphasized by the unchanging peasant costume.

Success came very soon, and Beolco found rich patrons, primarily in the person of the Venetian patrician, a generous patron of the arts, Alvise Cornaro. The troupe performed exclusively in front of spectators belonging to the patrician or bourgeois class, and adapted to the tastes that prevailed in these circles.

Obeying the demand, Beolko began to write large plays - in the genre of “scientific comedy” (commedia erudita), which was widespread at that time, but, unlike most playwrights who worked in this genre, who were not familiar with the laws of the theater and intended their works rather for reading, Beolko wrote comedies exclusively for the stage, based on certain actors. Since the actors of his troupe went through a good realistic school, Beolko's "learned comedies" were distinguished by a realistic depiction of people and life.

Like all theater groups of that time, the Beolco troupe was semi-professional: it worked a lot during carnivals and much less in other periods; when forced breaks arose in the activities of the troupe, the actors that made up the troupe returned to their former occupations.

And yet theatrical activity Beolco had a significant impact on the formation of the Italian professional theater; his "unchanging types" anticipated the appearance of the "comedy of masks", but there was no improvisation in the Beolco theater. In the Venetian Republic, Beolko found many followers - actor-playwrights, the most famous among them were Antonio da Molino, nicknamed Burchiella, and Andrea Calmo.

At least some of the comedies written by Beolko are known: "The Coquette", "Comedy without a title", "Flora", "Anconitanka", "Dialogues in a rude peasant language", "The funniest and funniest dialogue" - and two more, which are alterations of the comedies of Plautus: "The Cow" and "Piovan".

Beolko's comedies were distinguished by realism, rare for that time, in depicting the life and customs of the Padua peasants; his satire avoided the mockery characteristic of the "peasant farces" of the Renaissance.

Forced to reckon with the tastes of his audience, Beolko, nevertheless, wherever he could, abandoned the established canons, and in the prologue of one of his comedies, disguised as Plautus, he argued that writing comedies the way Plautus and other ancient playwrights wrote them already it is impossible: if Plautus were alive, he would write in a completely different way.

Beolko did not manage to carry out the reform of comedy and, as a playwright, did not find a worthy successor, which, however, did not prevent his contemporaries from appreciating the merits of his comedies; yes, famous literary critic Benedetto Varchi wrote that "the comedies of Ruzante of Padua, presenting rustic subjects, are superior to the ancient Atellani."

Auguste Toulmouche (1829 - 1890)

Zanni(ital. Zanni) - large group servant characters (masks) of the Italian commedia dell'arte, among which the most important are Brighella (the first zanni of the Venetian mask quartet), Harlequin (the second zanni of the Venetian mask quartet), Coviello (the first zanni of the Neapolitan mask quartet) and Pulcinella (the second zanni of the Neapolitan mask quartet) ). This also includes girls, maids of Colombina, Fantesca, Smeraldina, etc.

The word "zanni" comes from the name "Gianni" (Italian Gianni) in the Venetian pronunciation. Zan Ganassa - that was the name of one of the first actors who glorified this mask.

Zanni on the stage of the square theater - one of the oldest masks, continuing the tradition of court and carnival jesters. They appear in Italian farces of the 15th century, and even earlier - on the pages of Renaissance short stories.

Zanni- these are servants, former peasants who left their native places due to poverty and unemployment (Bergamo for northern masks, Cava and Acerra for southern ones) in search of a better life in prosperous port cities (Venice in the north of Italy and Naples in the south). The townspeople looked with mockery at the newcomers, willingly laughed at them.

They often depict them as completely stupid (Harlequin), or smart, but with unusual for a city dweller, provincial deeds (Brigella), with a typical "hillbilly" dialect (Harlequin and Brighella, for example, speak a rather monosyllabic Bergamas dialect Italian). Over time, of course, this satire softened, especially since it is the zanni who are actively intriguing the script, helping the old men Pantaloon and the Doctor, who are in love, in their confrontation.

Begma Oksana "Pierrot flirts with Colombina"

Brighella(Italian Brighella, fr. Briguelle) - the mask character of the Italian comedy dell'arte, the first zanni; one of the most ancient character-servants of the Italian theater. Represents the northern (or Venetian) quartet of masks, along with Harlequin, Pantalone and the Doctor.

Brighella is a former peasant native of Bergamo who speaks a staccato, monosyllabic, ending-eating Bergamo dialect. He is hired as a servant, cheats, pleases with witticisms and risky jokes.

Brighella wears a linen blouse, long trousers, a raincoat and a white cap. His suit white color usually trimmed with green galloons. The costume is complemented by yellow leather shoes. At the belt is a black purse, behind the belt is a dagger (sometimes wooden, but more often real).

Brighella's mask is hairy, dark in color with a black mustache and a black beard sticking out in all directions.

This is a dexterous and quirky fellow, often a thieving servant; cheeky with women, insolent with old men, brave with cowards, but obliging to the strong; always loud and talkative. At first, evil and ruthless, by the XVIII century. Brighella becomes softer and more cheerful.

His philosophy is very reminiscent of the public statements of Bozena Rynska: Brigella amuses the audience with long monologues against the elderly, who prevent the young from living, loving and achieving happiness. They vote incorrectly in elections, cross the road in the wrong place, and make up 71% of the completely unnecessary population, as the Vice-Rector of the Higher School of Economics recently noted.

In our country, this is already becoming the norm, almost a “fashion trend” among the “enlightened elite”. Before, it was generally considered calling card stupid redneck.

Actors who play this mask are required to be able to play the guitar and master basic acrobatic stunts.

Scapino, drawing by Maurice Sand, 1860

Brighella's mask, although one of the most beloved by a simple spectator, as a rule, was in the background of intrigue; the lack of active action was compensated by a large number of inserted tricks ( lazzi) and musical interludes. Images close to Brighella are present in the comedies of Lope de Vega and Shakespeare; it is also Scapin, Mascaril and Sganarelle by Moliere and Figaro Beaumarchais.

The most famous performers of this role were Nicolo Barbieri, who performed under the name Beltrame, Carlo Cantu (Buffetto) and Francesco Gabrielli (Scapino).

To be continued…

traditional Italian comedy character

Originally simpleton and goon in the Italian commedia dell'arte

Opal with multicolor mosaic opalescence

A breed of tall hounds, found only in Russia, which disappeared in mid-nineteenth century.

An old breed of tall hounds of white or light gray color with frequent small black speckles and bluish-white eyes.

Traditional Italian character. and French folk comedies.

In the French folk theater 18 - early XIX in. Pierrot's lucky rival

The character of the Italian comedy masks

A strip of fabric fixed at the top and framing the portal arch of the stage

Synonym for Italian jester, clown

Servant of Melpomene from the fairy tale about the golden key

Poem by A. Blok

Cloth framing the portal arch of the stage

Pierrot's lucky rival

Later in the same place, a cunning servant (one of the zanni) in a suit of multi-colored triangles

Black opal with multicolored play of light.

A strip of fabric (cloth) framing the portal arch of the stage and fixed at the top

Jester, clown; clown

Russian poem 19th poet century A. Maykov

Italian jester

Translate into Old German "King of the Alder"

Painting by French artist A. Watteau "Gallant ..."

Painting by French artist Paul Cezanne

Painting by French artist Edgar Degas "... and Columbine"

Comedian from the Karabas Barabas Theater

The character of the comedy of the Italian playwright C. Goldoni "The Sly Widow"

Hunting dog breed, Great Dane

Pierrot's rival

Clown from the comedy of masks

Jester from the Commedia dell'arte

. "I'm a joke, I..."

Traditional character of old Italian comedies

Italian version of our Parsley

Jester, clown (transl.)

The hero of the "comedy of masks"

Pierrot's Merry Rival

Pierrot's rival in a fairy tale

His name means "king of the alder"

Respirator Malvina

Cheerful friend Pinocchio

The hero from the comedy of masks

The intriguer among the dolls

Jester from Italy

Offender Pierrot

Clown, jester

A traditional character in the Italian comedy of masks, Piero's rival

Gemstone, opal with mosaic play of colors

. (obsolete) spotted hound dog

A poem by A. Maykov

. "I'm a joke, I..."

A breed of tall hounds, found only in Russia, which disappeared in the middle of the 19th century

An old breed of tall hounds of white or light gray color with frequent small black speckles and bluish-white eyes

Traditional Italian character. and French folk comedies

Black opal with multicolored play of light

The hero of the "comedy of masks"

His name means "king of the alder"

Painting by French artist A. Watteau "Gallant ..."

Painting by French artist Edgar Degas "... and Columbine"

M. is one of the amusing faces of silent comedy (pantomime): a joker and a prankster, in tight, colorful, patchwork clothing, sometimes with bells; motley jester, striped gaer, lomaka, amusing. A breed of searching dogs, wearing a white shirt, in black or white colts. Odd-eyed, animal, esp. horse with different colored eyes. There was once a motley fashionable harlequin fabric. Milky or noble opal, girazal, a valuable stone that plays with all colors. She dressed up like a harlequin, colorfully. Harlequin mischief, mistaking him for a well-known face of comedy; harlequin, buffoonish, gayer tomfoolery. Harlequin cf. the state of the harlequin, buffoonery, gaerstvo. Harlequinade clownish performance in faces, where the motley jester is the main actor. harlequin, harlequin, harlequin, to be a jester

Translate into Old German "king of the alder"

The character of the comedy of the Italian playwright C. Goldoni "The Sly Widow"

COMEDIA DEL ARTE(commedia dell "arte); another name is the comedy of masks, an improvisational street theater of the Italian Renaissance, which arose by the middle of the 16th century and, in fact, formed the first professional theater in history.

Commedia dell'arte emerged from street festivals and carnivals. Her characters are some kind of social images in which not individual, but typical features are cultivated. There were no plays as such in the commedia dell'arte, only the plot scheme was developed, the script, which in the course of the performance was filled with live replicas, which varied depending on the composition of the audience. It was this improvisational method of work that led the comedians to professionalism - and, first of all, to the development of an ensemble, increased attention to a partner. In fact, if the actor does not carefully follow the improvisational remarks and the line of behavior of the partner, he will not be able to fit into the flexibly changing context of the performance. These performances were the favorite entertainment of the mass, democratic audience. The commedia dell'arte absorbed the experience of the farcical theater, but here the common characters of the "learned comedy" were also parodied. A certain mask was assigned to a particular actor once and for all, but the role - despite the rigid typological framework - varied and developed endlessly in the process of each performance.

The number of masks that appeared in the commedia dell'arte is extremely large - more than a hundred. However, most of them were rather variants of several basic masks.

The commedia dell'arte had two main centers - Venice and Naples. In accordance with this, two groups of masks have developed. The northern (Venetian) was made up of Doctor, Pantalone, Brigella and Harlequin; southern (Neapolitan) - Coviello, Pulcinella, Scaramuccia and Tartaglia. The style of performance of the Venetian and Neapolitan commedia dell'arte also differed somewhat: Venetian masks worked mainly in the genre of satire; the Neapolitans used more tricks, rude buffoonery jokes. By functional groups, the masks can be divided into the following categories: old people (satirical images of Pantalone, Doctor, Tartaglia, Captain); servants (comedy zanni characters: Brighella, Harlequin, Coviello, Pulcinella and the fantesca maid - Smeraldina, Francesca, Colombina); lovers (images closest to the heroes of a literary drama, who were played only by young actors). Unlike old men and servants, the lovers did not wear masks, were luxuriously dressed, possessed exquisite plasticity and the Tuscan dialect in which Petrarch wrote his sonnets. It was the actors who played the roles of lovers who were the first to abandon improvisation and began to write down the texts of their characters.

Most often, the main actors of the troupe (capo commico) were the authors of the scripts. The first printed collection of scripts was published in 1611 by the actor Flaminio Scala, who directed the famous Gelosi troupe. Others most notable troupes- "Confidential" and "Fedeli".

The Italian commedia dell'arte produced a whole constellation of brilliant actors (many of whom were the first theorists of stage art): Isabella and Francesco Andreini, Giulio Pasquati, Bernardino Lombardy, Marc-Antonio Romagnesi, Nicolo Barbieri, Tristano Martinelli, Teresa, Catarina and Domenico Biancolelli, Tiberio Fiorilli and others. From the end of the 16th century. Troupes began to tour widely in Europe - in France, Spain, England. Her popularity has reached its peak. However, by the middle of the 17th century. the commedia dell'arte began to decline. The tightening of the church's policy towards the theater in general, and especially towards the commedia dell'arte, led to the fact that comedians settled in other countries for permanent residence. So, for example, in Paris, on the basis of the Italian troupe, the Comedie Italienne theater was opened.