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Rennaissance
30
Rennaissance
Italy
SUMMARY
Around 1300 the Renaissance began in Italy due to growth of trade and rise of the merchant class.
Renaissance = rebirth.
This was a time of renewed interest in ideas - based on the classical teachings of the Greeks – but mostly on Romans.
By the 16th century, the
Renaissance had permeated most of European thought.
The Influence of the CHURCH was weakening.
Papacy was moved to Avignon France
Renaissance had permeated most of European thought.
1465 – the Printing Press invented, the Bible and some manuscripts were printed.
By 1467-1470, the printing press and printed manuscripts get to Italy, and classical plays are staged at Universities and Courts or Academies (club-like learning organizations).
Manuscripts also dealt with ancient architecture, Aristotle’s works, Horace, etc.
In Italy, the nobility patronized the arts; playwrights were then often under noble patronage.
In Italy, the nobility patronized the arts; playwrigh...
STAGING
CONTRIBUTIONS TO THEATRE
Neoclassical ideal in playwriting and criticism
Italianate staging and architecture
Commedia dell’Arte
Central Concepts of Neoclassicm
Verisimilitude: "truth seeming"
Drama should represent what should/could reasonably be expected in real life
Decorum: characters were expected to display traits normally held by members of their class, or to suffer ridicule or punishment if they do not.
Good was to be rewarded, and evil punished – there was an eternal truth.
Purity of Genres:
Comedy and tragedy were not to be mixed – NO element of one should be in the other.
THE THREE UNITIES
Unity of Time: required a reasonable time.
no more than 24 hours – or actual time
Unity of Place: no more than one place
Unity of Action: no sub-plots, counter-plots or secondary plots—
Five act form: --probably derived form Horace and Seneca
Two-fold purpose: --to teach and to please.
Italianate Staging
1486 – Vitruvius’s De Architectura (16-13 B.C.)
was printed and published. It was a treatise written of Latin and Greek on architecture, dedicated to the emperor Augustus.
This work is the only surviving major book on architecture from classical antiquity.
Ten volumes, one of them on theatre buildings and scenic displays.
1500 – Perspective was "rediscovered" – had been known to the ancients.
Vitruvius is famous for asserting in his book that a structure must exhibit the three qualities of firmitas, utilitas, venustas — that is, it must be strong or durable, useful, and beautiful.
According to Vitruvius, architecture is an imitation of nature
Vitruvius is famous for asserting in his book that...
Vitruvian Man - Leonardo DaVinci
1545 Sabastiano Serlio publishes “Dell’Architettura”
Setting guidelines for theatres
and design – tried to fit classical theatre (circular and outdoors) into indoor theatres, able to use
perspective.
1545 Sabastiano Serlio publishes “Dell’Architettura”
Setting guidelin...
Perspective Drawing
Perspective
1585 Theatre Olympico
scenery –
consisted of a series of wings / flat imag...
scenery –
consisted of a series of wings / flat images
scenery was behind the proscenium arch
a background for action
raked stage –
higher in back (UP-stage), tilting down to the front
(DOWN-stage) – to increase the sense of depth
sometimes the acting area was level
proscenium arch, or several arches, made for a framed picture.
Artificial Lighting
candles and oil lamps
chandeliers over the house and stage
candles behind proscenium arch and as footlights and behind wings
SCENIC DESIGN
flat-wing and groove
consisted of a series of canvas flats on which scenery was painted set in grooves on the stage floor.
Flats could be pulled offstage to reveal a second set.
The major disadvantages of this arrangement were the number of stagehands required and the difficulty of coordinating changes
SCENIC DESIGN
Chariot and Pole System
Giacomo Torelli in 1645 came up with this new innovation that was soon used all over Europe except England.
Chariots or wagons on tracks – below the stage.
Poles came up through slots cut parallel to the front of the stage.
Scenery attached to poles.
a system of ropes and pulleys helped get a simultaneous shift of scenery.
illustration
Special Effects
Neoclassic Drama paid little attention to the supernatural, so few special effects were employed.
Operas (which had become popular in Italy), intermezzi (short courtly shows given between acts of dramas), and lavish dances had extravagant special effects
Trap doors, glories, scenes shifted with no curtain.
COMMEDIA DELL'ARTE
COMMEDIA DELL' ARTE
Came into prominence in Italy after 1550. By the end of the 1500’s, there were troupes in other parts of Europe; by the 17th century, in all of Europe.
Some scholars trace it back to the Roman Attellan Farces
Played to all kinds of audiences in all kinds of places.
The basic story was described on a scenario – almost 800 still survive, but there is still no clear picture of the quality of the performances.
The scenario was improvised, with stock characters
Shape
EMOTION
LANGUAGE
LAZZI
stage tricks designed to evoke laughter which, often as not, are altogether extraneous to the plot, i.e. slapstick, or the even less dignified "schtick."
ZIBALDONI
manuscripts compiled by commedia actors containing jokes, comic business and repeated scenes and speeches.
ZIBALDONI
SPANISH GOLDEN AGE
The marriage of King Ferdinand and Isabella (Sister of Henry IV) in 1469 created a very strong political state
The nation is predominantly Catholic.
The Inquisition was established
in 1480 to hunt down and punish
heretics.
They were trying to unite the Christian nation but the campaign resulted in the persecution of Jews and expulsion of the Moors.
Spain was not to become a major power, however, until 1492
Spain sends Columbus on the voyage to the New World – bringi...
Spain sends Columbus on the voyage to the New World – bringing New World resources and resulting wealth back to Spain.
Under Phillip II (reigned 1556-1598), Portugal, Sicily, The Kingdom of Naples, Milan, the Netherlands, and part of northern Africa were all brought under Spanish control, making it the most powerful nation in the Western world.
Spain’s major power was it’s Armada – which was defeated by the English Navy in 1588, but would continue to pose a threat to England throughout Elizabeth’s reign.
Spain’s major power was it’s Armada – which was defeated ...
AUTOS SACREMENTALIS
Morality Plays were popular for longer in Spain - Through the 1600s, but secular plays were popular as well.
AUTOS SACREMENTALIS
LIFE OF THE ACTOR
The attitude toward actors was generally tolerant in Spain – even though the Stricture of Alfonso X (1221-1284) stating that all actors should be “branded infamous” was not officially removed in Spain until the 20th century.
Rojas Villandrando describes a Spanish actor’s life around 16...
Rojas Villandrando describes a Spanish actor’s life around 1600
Performers must rise early and study their roles from 2 until 9am. They attend rehearsals until noon. After eating, they go to the theatre to perform, completing work around 7pm. If they are summoned by officials, they may work well into the night
Women On Stage
Women were officially licensed to appear on the stage in 1587.
The church secured a royal decree banning actresses in 1596 – but there are no records of the decree being enforced.
In 1599, the royal council declared that no actresses were to be an acting company unless their father or husband was also in the company.
COSTUMES
Costumes of the time were as lavish as finances permitted.
In 1653, actresses were restricted to one costume for each play unless the script demanded a change.
Actors would keep their own costumes – and this would help get employment.
CORRALES
Acting companies performed in the courtyards (corrales) that are a distinctive feature of Spanish urban architecture.