The History of Italian Theatre Essay Example for Free

The accounting of Italian Theatre EssayThe Italian Renaissance occurred from 1550 1700. The rapid economic growth in Italy during this clip made it possible for the more wealthy citizens to endulge in alternate make waters of entertainment. Wealthy families such as the Medicis began a system of patronage, in which they would finance artists to produce art in many forms. Italian theatre utilize the plays of ancient Greek and Roman theatre (dramas) as well as mediaeval theatre (religious plays) as a foundation.Commedia dellArteThe main style used by theatre groups in Italy during this period was called commedia or Commedia dellArte. Commedia dellArte or the comedy of handicraftal artists was a mainstay in Italian theatre during its renaissance. This included bits of comedy performed by different actors called lazzi. The type of comedy used in the Italian Renaissance was what is now known as slapstick or farce. This was a comedy style, which highlighted pain or misfortune oc curring to the actors in a uproarious context.For the most part the actors in these comedies used no scripts. The actors were given a plot or scenario and acted let on these plots in a humorous way. These performances were often vulgar and obscene. Standardize characters developed and appeared in familiar costumes and eating away masks.The character standards for Commedia included these gen durationl outlines Pantalone A greedy old man, merchant or fool, often lustful, conniving, andmeddling. Dottore A drunk, often proffesor or doctor dressed in a cap and gown. Capitano A soldier who was braggadocios and cowardly. Inamorati materialisation lovers who appeared quite normal compared to the rest ofthe characters. zanni Foolish servants. Usually two servants, one being drunk andmore foolish than his cohort.NeoclassicismNeoclassicists were rigid critics of Italian drama. They developed rules for theatre performances that survived for nearly 200 years in Europe. These mandates were cla imed to return been derived from Greek and Roman models. Five central concepts of neoclassicism are as follows verisimilitude, decorum, purity of genres, the three unities, and two faithful purpose.Verisimilitude The seeking of truth. An attempt to portray the performance as a reasonable interpretation of what is real or reasonably expected in real life.Decorum The way in which characters of certain classes behaved according to that class. Age, sex, rank, and profession would be acted out as if the characters held those standings. A strong sense of moral right and wrong was upheld, reflected by the punishment of evil, and the rewarding of good.Purity of Genres Comedy and tragedy were never mixed. The elements of one genre were never to be interspersed with the performance of another. The use of the chorus, the deus ex machina, and the soliloquy, was prohibited.The Three Unities The concept of the unity of time, place, and action. Unity of time required a reasonable time for th e action of the play to take place usually no more than 24 hours. Unity of place required that the play should include no more than one place or location. Unity of action required that there be no sub plots, secondary plots or counter-plots. both Fold Purpose The two purposes of neoclassical Italian plays were to teach and entertain. OperaOpera is the one form of Italian renaissance theatre that still survives to this day. It was developed in the late 1500s in Florence. Opera was sooner an attempt to recreate a genuine Greek tragedy. Observing the Greek fusion of music and drama, the originators of opera house house attempted, and succeeded in, producing a completely sung dialogue in their interpretations. Opera is a form of drama that creates its mood, actions, and characters finished musicThe first opera on record is called Dafne (1597). The text of the opera was written by, Ottavio Rinuccini (1562 1621). The music was scored by, Jacopo Peri (1561-1633). The opera, which consi sted of a prologue and six scenes, was performed during the pre-Lenten Carnival of Palazzo Corsi.The Camerata Fiorentina, an academy of wealthy Italians who studied ancient Greek and Roman theatre, produced Dafne.The actual textual part of the opera is called the libretto. One, two, three or four performers can sing the librettos these performances are called an aria (solo), a duet, a trio, and a quartet respectively. The visual display (intermezzo), along with musical excellence and strong performances, keep opera alive as a form of powerful dramatic art.Staging, Scenery, and LightingThe use of perspective draft as a means to capture realistic backdrops was a common theme among 16th blow stage designers. The illusion of depth was achieved through perspective drawing techniques using vanishing points as objects appeared closer to the prospect they were painted smaller and smaller on their scenic backdrops. The first use of this technique is believed to have occurred in 1508, for a performance of Ariostos La Cassaria. A leading author and set creator named Sebastion Serlio wrote about this technique and other scene design methods in his book Architettura(1545). Different kinds of illusionistic backdrops settings were developed for the three major types of plays of the era (comic, pastoral, and tragic).A three-sided revolving prism called the periaktoi, was developed to change between different settings. This was quite an innovation for its time, as the scenery could be changed right before the audiences eyes. Other advances included the proscenium frame and front curtain along with varied flying machines (glories) and other special effects.Lighting inside the dark theaters of renaissance Italy to a fault had to be addressed. Oil lamps and candles were the primary source of stage lighting. Though candles and lamps produced some smoke, they were placed in chandeliers and on the front of the stage. Placing translucent receptacles or canisters over them could d im candles when lower light levels were called for. Due to the size and pretermit of sufficient lighting of the theatres, artificial lighting was an ever-present necessity.