18th Century Flashcards
Bibiena family
-est by Ferdinando Bibiena
Bologna & Parma
1708 summoned to Barcelona to design staged festivities for the marriage of Charles VI of Spain
Move to Vienna-succeed the Burnacini as designers at court
Moves to 2 perspective scenery-building at center (painted backdrops)
Breaks away from notion of symmetry & scale of buildings in playing space (larger)
How he created this illusion
DS flats (where the acting takes place) still in trad. Pos.- can be moved w/ pole/chariot system
US flats (background-not acting space) not in the same positions-ppl moved scenery for new interesting moves
Backdrops always parallel to proscenium arcs
Ludovico Burnicini
Notable families of designers -Burnacini (Giovanni & Ludovico) Designed >115 productions The Golden Apple (1668) 23 settings 35 machines
Giovanni Piranesi
depicted light & shadow in their designs.
The Servant of Two Masters
Carlo Goldoni
All roles scripted except Truffaldino
Published 1753-all scripted
Carlo Gozzi
-fiercely opposed Goldoni’s changes to commedia!!!!
He often wrote pieces that saterized Goldoni’s work
-known for
The Love for Three Oranges
King’s Stay
Turandot
The Magic Bird
-plays full of fantasy, enchantment, improv, masks, complete opposite of Goldoni
Called his plays: Fiabe (fable)
Voltaire
- dominates tragedy
- Oedipe (1718)
- still had melodrama features
- philosopher ideals about religion
- lives in England for 3 yrs and sees English plays
- *tries to loosen neoclassical structures
- add supernatural elements
- limited amount of onstage violence
- broader range of subject matter
- more spectacle
- *1759 spectators forbidden to sit on stage
- more realistic views wanted for staging (in France during medieval times)
Comedie Larmoyante
- (tearful comedy)
- most popular from 1730-1750
- virtuous protagonist has an issue and creates sympathy from audience but then rescued thru unknown facts
Beaumarchais
- only really significant dramatist of 18th cent in France
- wrote new drames
- most known for comedy
- The Barber of Seville 1775
- The Marriage of Figaro 1783
- set in Spain BUT it’s veiled look at French Society
Opera comique
Illegitimate Theatre
funny opera
still had to pay fee
Boulevard du Temple
1760 fair theatre start to perform on the Boulevard du Temple
- now have a home base - performing year round - competition to monopoly theatres
Describe some of the scenic innovations that Ferdinando Bibiena developed for the stage
-Moves to 2 perspective scenery-building at center (painted backdrops)
-Breaks away from notion of symmetry & scale of buildings in playing space (larger)
How he created this illusion
DS flats (where the acting takes place) still in trad. Pos.- can be moved w/ pole/chariot system
US flats (background-not acting space) not in the same positions-ppl moved scenery for new interesting moves
Backdrops always parallel to proscenium arcs
Including mood was a new idea in scenic design. Describe how scenic designers created mood in their work
- Designers begin to depict light & shadow in their designs.
- Scenic designers PAINT juxtapose areas of light & shadow to create a mood
Discuss Carlo Goldoni’s contributions to Italian (and European) theatre
-writer of scenarios for commedia troupes
-1740: makes an argument that commedia needs to adapt
-writes out entire principle role of a commedia play called “Man of the World”
-prolific writer: 10 tragedies, 83 musical dramas, 150 comedies
-credited w/ making opera buffo (comic opera)
An unacceptable genre for significant opera troupes
-writes really sympathetic noble female characters
-”The Servant of Two Masters”
All roles scripted except Truffaldino
Published 1753-all scripted
-eliminates all improv for his works
-additional changes w/ masks, naturalistic style of speech, use of more real life situations
-1761 moves to Paris and writes for Comedy Italian
-Humanizes all the characters within commedia
How did the popularity of Opera influence the theatre of Austria
- the minor lords in charge of German areas adopt French customs
- the emulate the French court by having
- opera
- ballet
- major spectacular events- more wealthy courts import artists from France & Italy
- less wealthy courts use home-grown German imitators
- Ludovico, Bernacini, Bibienas(family) :> hired by Emporor of HRE in Vienna
- Vienna becomes capitol for opera
- opera is the dominant form in this part of Europe
- the fancy livin’ loved this ^shiz^
Be able to discuss how the removal of spectators from the stage in both France and England impacted theatrical production. Be specific.
French adopt Italian stage seating convention to build curve for audience for better sight lines -ovoid auditorium Comedie Frances -when benches were removed in 1759 -seating for 140 was added -put 180 seats (benches) in the pit -1782: move to new theatre The Odeon -no standing room at all
Sentimentalism became a popular trend in both French and English theatre. Be able to describe what sentimentalism is and how it was reflected in popular plays of this time.
Sentimentalism -at end of English rest (everyone gets their just desserts & turns out okay) -begins around 1720 -Mariveaux-subtle emotional shifting Comedie Larmoyante -(tearful comedy) -most popular from 1730-1750 -virtuous protagonist has an issue and creates sympathy from audience but then rescued thru unknown facts FRANCE -more characters drawn from middle class -characters seeing the errors of their ways -Colley Cibber (1671-1737) -characters play neoclassical ways then by act 5 see their mistakes -George Farquhar (1678-1707) -still witty characters -plays out of London, in country -not as many obstacles to be naughty -The Recruiting Officer -The Beaux’ Stratagen -George Lillo -The London Merchant (1731) -so popular that in 19 c. traditionally all the young apprentices to go see the play Sentimental Tragedy -middle class characters -Felt a tragedy with everyday characters is easier to feel for
Be able to discuss Denis Diderot’s contributions to French theatre
-neoclassicalism is too narrow!
-wanted new middle road genre called ‘drame’
-domestic tragedy
-wanted comedy concerned with virtue
-believed that staging should create illusion
-will better move the audience
-setting that depicted real spaces
-4th wall conventions in acting
GREATER REALISM
-“Paradox of the Actor”
-good actors deter from emotions
-craft emotions without feeling yourself (mimicry/control)
Discuss how the Opera’s money troubles and monopoly impacted theatre in Paris
the financial troubles caused the
Financial Troubles
- societaires making 30,000 Francs/yr
- non-societaires (pensionaires) making about 20,000 Francs/yr
- profits from C.F. & Opera going to performer pay
- not improvements in co. costume stock, scenery & etc.
- 1714 idea to allow for a FAT FEE other companies to perform pieces that contain music or dance or spectacle
- 1784 Opera gains control of Illegitimate Theatre
- charged fee-Opera Comique
• How did the monopolies of the Comedie Francaise, the Opera, and the Comedie Italienne impact playwrights
no
How did the growing interest in history and local color begin to impact theatre?
no
Describe how the rise of a wealthy middle class effected changes to English theatre genres
Restoration in England-Comedy of Errors: Shift in morality after rest:>
-came home from spring break to be real person again.
-Thrown now more conservative.
-Bolstered by middle classes growing & conservative.
-Shown in series of attacks written about the sensuous nature of theatre.
Jeremy Collier 1698
-A short View of the immorality & Profaneness of the English stage.
Comedy becoming more sentimental
-more characters drawn from middle class
-characters seeing the errors of their ways
Sentimental Tragedy
-middle class characters
Jeremy Collier
wrote “A short View of the immorality & Profaneness of the English stage” (theater should teach a lesson; shows that pop neoclassical playwrights dont follow this)
George Farquhar
playwright, his plays still witty characters
- plays out of London, in country - not as many obstacles to be naughty - ”The Recruiting Officer” - ”The Beaux’ Stratagen”
Susanna Centlivre
female playwright “The Busy Body” (1709)
-”The Wonder” (1714)
