Figure 1.-- This painting depicts the actors rom the Commedia dell’Arte on a Wagon in a town aquare somewhere in Italy. . The actors don the atire and masks of well known stock characterts. They had scripts, but commonly improvided.
Two of the best known are Pantalone and il Dottore. There ere a doctor, wealthy old men, masters, zanni (madcap servant), clowns. There were also mamed characters such as Arlecchino/Harlequin, Brighella, Scapino, Pulcinella and Pedrolino. The Commedia was the inspiratioin for the Punch and Judy shows. The Commedia may have origined in the Venice carnival around 1570. This work was painted in 1640 by Jan Miel, a Flemish artist active in Rome (17th cenytury). He was associated wsuth Dutch and Flemish painters working in Rome -- the 'Bamboccianti'. They were known for their genre scenes of the lower classes.
Theatrical traditions date back to ancient times. Much of this is basiclly lost. There must have been some form of non-written theater if only in story telling. That for example was the oirigin of Homer's works and the early Old Testmaent book. So the theatrical tradions of many ancient socities were lost. What was not lost, at least not entirekly, was the theatrical tradition of the classical world. Drama is as an especially important Greek tradition. Drama was also an important art form in ancient Rome. Drama was both an art form and like the gladatorial contsts, a public spectacle. Thus they were performed in huge ampitheaters. Rome had a nunber of large theaters. The challenge of sound and lighting faced by the Greeks was handled in the same way--outdoor ampitheaters. Rome itself had several large ampitheaters especially designed to perform plays. The best surving example is the theatre Marcellus. Unlike Greece, drama was not an indegenous Roman art form. The Roman drama of Seneca (for tragedy) and of Plautus and Terence (for comedy) derived ultimately (with many changes of course) from the drama of Greece. This traditiion was basically lost during with the Germanic invasions, but of course the written record was lost. Many works survived in Byzantium. A trafition of of theatricals feveloped with medieval baladeer. There was aldo the ‘theater’ of preachers, giullari, storytellers, jugglers and tumblers. They were unlikely infuenced by the classical tradition, but Dante Alighieri (1265-1321) was . And drama is intrinically influenced by poetry and literature. The dicerie sappears to be the beginning of Italian medieval drama. It was a monologue presenred by a performer. The Renaissance began in Italy, by dreama was not a major parytof i in Itgaly as it was in othe contriues. One of the best known- plays was 'Mandragola' written by Niccolo Machiavelli (1524). The giants of Reniasance drama were all in other countries. This is rather surprising, especially because the Commedia dell'arte was a major Italiasn contribution to European drama. It has survived in the modern world in Punch and Judy puppet shows. While Italy may have lagged in the area of drama, it was a leader in the developmnt of opera (17th century). It was born in Italy during the Renaissance, a mix of vocal and orchestral music, drama, visual arts and dance. It has been been inspiring Europeans ever sibnce. Many of the giants of opera are Italian: Monyteverdi (1567-1643) Rossini (1792-1868), Donizetti (1797-1848), Bellini (1801-1835), Verdi (1813-1901), Puccini (1858-1924), Mascagni (1863–1945). HBC at this time has little information on the Italian film industry. This is of course is a major failing as Italy has a very important film industry and has made many beautiful films. It was Itlalian neo-realism after World War II that dramatically changed how Hollywood films were made. We have collected some information on a few Italian films, but are sure that there are many more interesting films. Italian clothes styles are nicely shown during the 1940s in The Garden of the Finzi-Continis (Italy/Germany, 1970?). Other important films are Padre Perdone and Life is Beautiful (Italy, 1998). I also liked an American film about Italy, It Started in Naples (US, 1960). We know nothing about Italiamn radio and teledvision.
