Daniela Bini

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Daniela Bini ITL 326L: Introduction to Italian Literature: 18th , 19th and 20th Centuries FALL 2011 Instructor: Daniela Bini; Place: HRH 2.112; Times: TTH 11:00-12:30 Office: Rainey Hall 3.112C; Office hours: W 10:00 12:00; Th 12:30-1:30; and by appointment Office phone: 471-5531; home: 477-8649; e-mail: [email protected]. edu Prerequisites: 328, or permission of instructor. The course will begin with an introduction to the Italian Enlightnment, and in particular, the figure of the iterant intellectual, such as Carlo Goldoni and Lorenzo Da Ponte. We will then follow the intellectual as the participant in the construction of national identity during the cultural movement of Risorgimento. We will read from the works of Foscolo, Leopardi, Manzoni and listen to selections of Bellini’s and Verdi’s operas. After Italy’s unification the discrepancy between north and south became more apparent. We will concentrate on the south by reading from the works of Giovanni Verga, Luigi Pirandello and Carlo Levi. The impact of two world wars and Fascism on Italian culture and literature, in particular, that brings the intellectual to a crisis, will be discussed through the works of writers as different as Morante, Ginzburg, Ungaretti, Montale. We will conclude with a few short stories by Italo Calvino. Several films will be shown to reinforce some of the themes discussed. The choice of texts has also been also made in order to give students samples of various literary genres: short story, novel, poetry, theater, opera. This course carries the Global Cultures flag. Global Cultures courses are designed to increase your familiarity with cultural groups outside the United States. You should therefore expect a substantial portion of your grade to come from assignments covering the practices, beliefs, and histories of at least one non-U.S. cultural group, past or present. Required Texts: Course packet (Speedway in Dobie Mall)—. Books at Co-op on Guadalupe Carlo Goldoni, La locandiera, Luigi Pirandello, Così è (se vi pare), Carlo Levi, Cristo si è fermato a Eboli Natalia Ginzburg, La città e la casa-- Most of the texts are on line and links are given in the syllabus, but students are expected to have printed copies in class for discussion. Reading from laptops will not be allowed Students are expected to have read the assignment for every given day and be prepared to discuss it in class. Class attendance is mandatory and participation in class discussion will reflect greatly on the final grade. Besides the two exams there will be several short written assignments and a few quizzes. The final grade will be computed as follows: Exams: 50% Quizzes/Written Assignments: 40% Oral Presentation and Class Participation: 10% There will be make up exams only for exceptional, justified reasons. Class and University Policies Religious holidays By UT Austin policy, you must notify me of your pending absence at least fourteen days prior to the date of observance of a religious holy day. If you must miss a class, an examination, a work assignment, or a project in order to observe a religious holy day, I will give you an opportunity to complete the missed work within a reasonable time after the absence. Academic Integrity University of Texas Honor Code The core values of The University of Texas at Austin are learning, discovery, freedom, leadership, individual opportunity, and responsibility. Each member of the university is expected to uphold these values through integrity, honesty, trust, fairness, and respect toward peers and community. Each student in this course is expected to abide by the University of Texas Honor Code. Policy on Scholastic Dishonesty Students who violate University rules on scholastic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary penalties, including the possibility of failure in the course and/or dismissal from the University. Since such dishonesty harms the individual, all students, and the integrity of the University, policies on scholastic dishonesty will be strictly enforced. For further information, visit the Student Judicial Services web site http://www.utexas.edu/depts/dos/sjs/. This site offers excellent resources on how to cite sources and paraphrase. Copying materials from other people or from sources on the Internet, for example, or having your work edited by somebody else, constitutes a fraudulent submission. Any work submitted by a student in this course for academic credit will be the student’s own work and will acknowledge others’ work as appropriate (e.g., citing sources). Other University Notices and Policies Use of E-mail for Official Correspondence to Students It is the student’s responsibility to keep the University informed as to changes in his or her e-mail address. Students are expected to check e-mail on a frequent and regular basis in order to stay current with University-related communications, recognizing that certain communications may be time-critical. It is recommended that e-mail be checked daily, but at a minimum, twice per week. The complete text of this policy and instructions for updating your e-mail address are available at http://www.utexas.edu/its/policies/emailnotify.html. Documented Disability Statement The University of Texas at Austin provides upon request appropriate academic accommodations for qualified students with disabilities. If you require special accommodations, you must obtain a letter that documents your disability from the Services for Students with Disabilities area of the Division of Diversity and Community Engagement (471-6259 voice or 471-4641 TTY for users who are deaf or hard of hearing). Present the letter to me at the beginning of the semester so we can discuss the accommodations you need. No later than five business days before an exam, you should remind me of any testing accommodations you will need. For more information, visit http://www.utexas.edu/diversity/ddce/ssd/. Behavior Concerns Advice Line (BCAL) If you are worried about someone who is acting differently, you may use the Behavior Concerns Advice Line to discuss by phone your concerns about another individual’s behavior. This service is provided through a partnership among the Office of the Dean of Students, the Counseling and Mental Health Center (CMHC), the Employee Assistance Program (EAP), and The University of Texas Police Department (UTPD). Call 512-232-5050 or visit http://www.utexas.edu/safety/bcal. Emergency Evacuation Policy Occupants of buildings on the UT Austin campus are required to evacuate and assemble outside when a fire alarm is activated or an announcement is made. Please be aware of the following policies regarding evacuation: Familiarize yourself with all exit doors of the classroom and the building. Remember that the nearest exit door may not be the one you used when you entered the building. If you require assistance to evacuate, inform me in writing during the first week of class. In the event of an evacuation, follow my instructions or those of class instructors. Do not re-enter a building unless you are given instructions by the Austin Fire Department, the UT-Austin Police Department, or the Fire Prevention Services office. Critical Dates Please note the following critical dates for class administration: August 29: Monday Last day of the official add/drop period; after this date, changes in registration require the approval of the department chair and usually the student’s dean. (See General Information, chapter 4, for details.) Last day undergraduate students may register and pay tuition without the approval of the registrar. Last day an undergraduate student may add a class except for rare and extenuating circumstances. Payment for added classes (add bill) due by 5:00 pm. Last day to drop a class for a possible refund. (See General Information, chapter 4, for details.) Last day a student may change registration in a class to or from the pass/fail or credit/no credit basis. September 9: Friday Twelfth class day; this is the date the official enrollment count is taken. Last day to drop a class for possible refund. November 1: Tuesday Last day an undergraduate student may, with the dean’s approval, withdraw from the University or drop a class except for urgent and substantiated, nonacademic reasons. SYLLABUS AGOSTO giovedì 25 Introduzione al corso: Il Seicento e Il Settecento martedì 30 Carlo Goldoni, La locandiera (metà): http://www.softwareparadiso.it/studio/letteratura/locandiera/atto1.htm SETTEMBRE giovedì 1 La locandiera (finire) martedì 6 Cesare Beccaria, Dei delitti e delle pene, capitoli Introduzione, XVI, XXVIII : “Della tortura” e “Della pena di morte” http://www.filosofico.net/index024.htm RISPOSTE SCRITTE (1) (350-400 parole) giovedì 8 W.A. Mozart, Lorenzo Da Ponte, Le nozze di Figaro. pp. 6-9 (eclusa la scena terza); p.11 (scena ottava); p.12 (scena prima); p.18-20 (fine terzo atto). http://www.aria-database.com/translations/figaro.txt (4:00-7:00) VIDEO LE NOZZE DI FIGARO (MOZART-DA PONTE) martedì 13 Il Romanticismo: Sonetti di Ugo Foscolo: “Alla sera,” “Non son chi fui,” “Meritatamente però che io potei,” .”Di se stesso”,” “A Zacinto,” http://it.wikisource.org/wiki/Sonetti_(Foscolo) giovedì 15 RISPOSTE SCRITTE (2) su Mirandolina e su Figaro. (350-400 parole) NORMA (Vincenzo Bellini), I metà; II metà: (tutta in inglese; in italiano: pp.36-38; 42-44; (escluso Side four); pp.51 (Norma:” In mia man”)-55 (fine). http://www.operatoday.com/content/2006/04/bellini_norma.php martedì 20 Giacomo Leopardi: “L’infinito” e a”A Silvia” http://kidslink.bo.cnr.it/ic6- bo/scuolainospedale/attivita/leopardi/infinito.htm http://www.claudiocarini.it/silvia.htm giovedì 22 Alessandro Manzoni: Promessi sposi (fine cap.8, 9) http://www.liberliber.it/biblioteca/m/manzoni/i_promessi_sposi/html/testo.htm RISPOSTE SCRITTE (3) (350-400 parole) martedì 27 Promessi sposi (cap.10) giovedì 29 Promessi sposi (cap.12) OTTOBRE martedì 4 Promessi sposi (cap.
Recommended publications
  • La Cultura Italiana
    LA CULTURA ITALIANA BALDASSARE GALUPPI (1706–1785) Thousands of English-speaking students are only familiar with this composer through a poem by Robert Browning entitled “A Toccata of Galuppi’s.” Few of these students had an inkling of who he was or had ever heard a note of his music. This is in keeping with the poem in which the toccata stands as a symbol of a vanished world. Although he was famous throughout his life and died a very rich man, soon after his death he was almost entirely forgotten until Browning resurrected his name (and memory) in his 1855 poem. He belonged to a generation of composers that included Christoph Willibald Gluck, Domenico Scarlatti, and CPE Bach, whose works were emblematic of the prevailing galant style that developed in Europe throughout the 18th century. In his early career he made a modest success in opera seria (serious opera), but from the 1740s, together with the playwright and librettist Carlo Goldoni, he became famous throughout Europe for his opera buffa (comic opera) in the new dramma giocoso (playful drama) style. To the suc- ceeding generation of composers he became known as “the father of comic opera,” although some of his mature opera seria were also widely popular. BALDASSARE GALUPPI was born on the island of Burano in the Venetian Lagoon on October 18, 1706, and from as early as age 22 was known as “Il Buranello,” a nickname which even appears in the signature on his music manuscripts, “Baldassare Galuppi, detto ‘Buranello’ (Baldassare Galuppi, called ‘Buranello’).” His father was a bar- ber, who also played the violin in theater orchestras, and is believed to have been his son’s first music teacher.
    [Show full text]
  • Carlo Goldoni and Commedia Dell'arte
    THE MASK BENEATH THE FACE: CARLO GOLDONI AND COMMEDIA DELL’ARTE In the published script for One Man, Two Guvnors, each character description is followed by a fancy-sounding Italian name. FEBRUARY 2020 These are stock character types from WRITTEN BY: commedia dell’arte, an Italian form of KEE-YOON NAHM improvised comedy that flourished from the sixteenth to the eighteenth centuries. How does Richard Bean’s modern comedy adapt this tradition? What exactly is the relationship between Francis Henshall and Truffaldino? To answer that question, we must look at the life and career of one Carlo Goldoni, a Venetian playwright who lived in the eighteenth century. His most famous play, The Servant of Two Masters (1753) was about a foolish tramp who tries to serve two aristocrats at the same time. Goldoni borrowed heavily from commedia 1 characters and comic routines, which were popular during his time. In turn, Bean adapted Goldoni’s comedy in 2011, setting the play in the seedy underworld of 1960s Brighton. In other words, Goldoni is the middleman in the story of how a style of popular masked theatre in Renaissance Italy transformed into a modern smash-hit on West End and Broadway. Goldoni’s parents sent him to school to become a lawyer, but the theatre bug bit him hard. He studied ancient Greek and Roman plays, idolized the great comic playwright Molière, and joined a traveling theatre troupe in his twenties. However, Goldoni eventually grew dissatisfied with commedia dell’arte, which could be inconsistent and haphazard because the performers relied so much on improv and slapstick.
    [Show full text]
  • The Use of Food to Signify Class in the Comedies of Carlo Goldoni 1737-1762
    ABSTRACT Title of Document: “THE SAUCE IS BETTER THAN THE FISH”: THE USE OF FOOD TO SIGNIFY CLASS IN THE COMEDIES OF CARLO GOLDONI 1737-1762. Margaret Anne Coyle, Ph.D, 2006 Directed By: Dr. Heather Nathans, Department of Theatre This dissertation explores the plays of Venetian Commedia del’Arte reformer- cum-playwright Carlo Goldoni, and documents how he manipulates consumption and material culture using fashionable food and dining styles to satirize class structures in eighteenth century Italy. Goldoni’s works exist in what I call the “consuming public” of eighteenth century Venice, documenting the theatrical, literary, and artistic production of the city as well as the trend towards Frenchified social production and foods in the stylish eating of the period. The construction of Venetian society in the middle of the eighteenth century was a specific and legally ordered cultural body, expressed through various extra-theatrical activities available during the period, such as gambling, carnival, and public entertainments. The theatrical conventions of the Venetian eighteenth century also explored nuances of class decorum, especially as they related to audience behavior and performance reception. This decorum extended to the eating styles for the wealthy developed in France during the late seventeenth century and spread to the remainder of Europe in the eighteenth century. Goldoni ‘s early plays from 1737 through 1752 are riffs on the traditional Commedia dell’Arte performances prevalent in the period. He used food in these early pieces to illustrate the traditional class and regional affiliations of the Commedia characters. Plays such as The Artful Widow, The Coffee House, and The Gentleman of Good Taste experimented with the use of historical foods styles that illustrate social placement and hint at further character development.
    [Show full text]
  • Economic View of Goldoni's
    PRODUCTIVITY AND WASTE: A SOCIO-ECONOMIC VIEW OF GOLDONI’S THEATER by JACLYN A. BEVACQUA A Dissertation submitted to the Graduate School-New Brunswick Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey in partiaL fuLfiLLment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Graduate Program in ItaLian written under the direction of Professor Alessandro Vettori and approved by ________________________________________________ ________________________________________________ ________________________________________________ ________________________________________________ New Brunswick, New Jersey May 2014 © 2014 JacLyn A. Bevacqua ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION Productivity and Waste: A Socio-Economic View of GoLdoni’s Theater By JACLYN A. BEVACQUA DISSERTATION DIRECTOR: Professor Alessandro Vettori The purpose of this work is to analyze characters and relationships in GoLdoni’s comedies in terms of their sociaL actions and interactions. I assert that GoLdoni intended for these comedies to be a vehicLe of instruction in order to modeL and reform behaviors he deemed either productive or wastefuL to the progress of society. The success of society as a whole depends on the individuaL behaviors and conduct of its members. GoLdoni recognized the denegration of moraLs and good sense among the various sociaL cLasses. His plays, taken deeper than face vaLue, demonstrate his desire to aid in the renovation of Venetian society and reinstate the honorabLe, virtuous and productive society that he perceived. Through sociaL dynamics and famiLiaL reLationships, various behaviors of the characters and their interactions demonstrate aspects of Venetian society that Goldoni lauded or criticized. Many Goldoni scholars such as Mario Baratto and Franco Fido have noted the sociaL impLications of GoLdoni’s theater. I beLieve that my research takes a different direction and, through the socio-economic Lens, it is possible to note the theory substantiating Goldoni’s intentions.
    [Show full text]
  • A Tale of Two Carlos: an Examination of the Ongoing Battle Between The
    Utah State University DigitalCommons@USU All Graduate Theses and Dissertations Graduate Studies 5-2011 A Tale of Two Carlos: An Examination of the Ongoing Battle Between the Marginalized and the Privileged as Exemplified by Carlo Goldoni and Carlo Gozzi During the 18th Century David Josh Patterson Utah State University Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd Part of the Theatre and Performance Studies Commons Recommended Citation Patterson, David Josh, "A Tale of Two Carlos: An Examination of the Ongoing Battle Between the Marginalized and the Privileged as Exemplified by Carlo Goldoni and Carlo Gozzi During the 18th Century" (2011). All Graduate Theses and Dissertations. 1006. https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd/1006 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate Studies at DigitalCommons@USU. It has been accepted for inclusion in All Graduate Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@USU. For more information, please contact [email protected]. A TALE OF TWO CARLOS: AN EXAMINATION OF THE ONGOING BATTLE BETWEEN THE MARGINALIZED AND THE PRIVILEGED AS EXEMPLIFIED BY CARLO GOLDONI AND CARLO GOZZI DURING THE 18th CENTURY by David Josh Patterson A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS in Theatre Arts Approved: ____________________________ ____________________________ Colin Johnson Shane Graham Major Professor Committee Member ____________________________ ____________________________ Adrianne Moore Matt Omasta Committee Member Committee Member ____________________________ Mark R. McLellan Dean of Graduate Studies UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY Logan, Utah 2011 Copyright © David Josh Patterson 2011 All Rights Reserved ABSTRACT A Tale of Two Carlos: An Examination of the Ongoing Battle Between the Marginalized and the Privileged as Exemplified by Carlo Goldoni and Carlo Gozzi During the 18th Century by David Josh Patterson, Master of Arts Utah State University, 2011 Major Professor: Dr.
    [Show full text]
  • A History of Italian Theatre Edited by Joseph Farrell and Paolo Puppa Frontmatter More Information
    Cambridge University Press 978-0-521-80265-9 - A History of Italian Theatre Edited by Joseph Farrell and Paolo Puppa Frontmatter More information A History of Italian Theatre With the aim of providing a comprehensive history of Italian drama from its origins to the present day, this book treats theatre in its widest sense, discussing the impact of all the elements and figures integral to the collaborative process of theatre-making. The impact of designers, actors, directors and impresarios, as well as of playwrights, is subjected to critical scrutiny, while individual chapters examine the changes in technology and shifts in the cultural climate which have influenced theatre. No other approach would be acceptable for Italian theatre, where, from the days of commedia dell’arte, the central figure has often been the actor rather than the playwright. The important writers, such as Carlo Goldoni and Luigi Pirandello who have become part of the central canon of European playwriting, and those whose impact has been limited to the Italian stage, receive detailed critical treatment, as do the ‘great actors’ of nineteenth-century theatre or the directors of our own time, but the focus is always on the bigger picture. Joseph Farrell is Professor of Italian Studies at the University of Strathclyde. Paolo Puppa is Professor of History of the Italian Theatre at the University of Venice and Chair of the Department of the History of the Arts. © Cambridge University Press www.cambridge.org Cambridge University Press 978-0-521-80265-9 - A History of Italian
    [Show full text]
  • Carlo Goldoni, (1707-1793)
    -11- LETtURE PER LE FAMIGLIE E PER LA SCUOLA BIOGRAFIE DI ILLUSTRI ITALIANI -eiju- CARLO GOLDONI (1707-1793) Volere è potere. k Smiles. MILANO Tipografia L. F. Cogliati Via Pantano, 26 1892. Prezzo: Cent. 25 CARLO GOLDONI LETTURE PER LE FAMIGLIE E PER LA SCUOLA BIOGRAFIE DI ILDDSTRI ITALL\NI -- CARLO GOLDONI (1707-1793) MILANO TlPOGRi\FIA LODOVICO FELICE COGLIATl ria Pantano, N. 26. 1892. • c K ■{^\ ' 'f proprietà letteraria CARLO GOLDONI 1707-1793. Volere è potere. Smiles. Carlo Goldoni nacque in Venezia l’anno \noi' la famiglia sua però era di Modena. Suo nonno, ricco e spensierato, teneva a pigione una deliziosa villetta nella Marca Trevigiana, ove convenivano gli attoridram¬ matici e i musicisti più rinomati. Là si re¬ citava, si declamava, non si pensava in¬ somma che a divertirsi. Carlo Goldoni nacque adunque in mezzo alle dovizie, ^allo strepito, ai divertimenti. Nel 1712 l’avo suo morì, e questa morte carnbiò in un istante le condizioni della famiglia, preci¬ pitandola da una felice lautezza in una mediocrità disagiata. 11 padre non aveva avuto una completa educazione, eppero dovette pensar a ripigliare, quando era già marito e padre, gli studi universitari. Si 6 CARLO GOLDONI portò a Roma, dove, colla proiezione del celebre Lancisi, prese la laurea in medicina, e andò ad esercitare la sua professione a Perugia, ove venne bene accolto e gua¬ dagnò ben presto la fiducia delle principali famiglie. Intanto la famiglia Goldoni, composta della madre, del figlio Carlo e d’un secondo bambino, si stabilì a Chioggia. Là comin¬ ciarono gli studi di Carlo sotto gli occhi della brava madre e la guida di un maestro.
    [Show full text]
  • 360 ° Series
    360° SERIES VIEWFINDER: FACTS AND PERSPECTIVES ON THE PLAY, PLAYWRIGHT, AND PRODUCTION WWW.TFANA.ORG TABLE OF CONTENTS The Play 3 Plot Synopsis by Madeline Miller 4 Perspectives 7 Dialogues: Character and Mask by Hannah Rae Montgomery The Playwright 11 Biography: Carlo Goldoni 12 Dialogues: From the Greeks to Goldoni by Monica Achen The Production 14 Interview: Conjuring Comedy Out of Time Christopher Bayes and Steven Epp in conversation with Richard McCoy 26 Cast and Creative Team About Theatre For a New Audience 32 Mission and Programs 33 Major Supporters Endowment support for The Servant of Two Masters is provided by The Howard Gilman Foundation Fund for Classic Drama. Notes Front Cover: Steven Epp in Yale Repertory Theatre's production of The Servant of Two Masters, photo by Richard Termine. This Viewfinder will be periodically updated with additional information. Last updated November 2016. Credits “Perspectives” and "Biography" by Jonathan Kalb "The Plot," "Character and Masks" and "From the Greeks to Goldoni" were originally published in Yale Repertory Theatre's WILL POWER Study Guide, and are re-published here courtesy of Yale Repertory Theatre. The Servant of Two Masters360° | Edited by Literary & Humanities Manager Peter Cook | Literary Advisor: Jonathan Kalb | Council of Scholars Chair: Richard McCoy | Designed by: Milton Glaser, Inc. | Copyright 2016 by Theatre for a New Audience. All rights reserved. With the exception of classroom use by teachers and individual personal use, no part of this Viewfinder may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying or recording, or by an information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.
    [Show full text]
  • The Servant of Two Masters the Articles in This Study Guide Are Not Meant to Mirror Or Interpret Any Productions at the Utah Shakespeare Festival
    Insights A Study Guide to the Utah Shakespeare Festival The Servant of Two Masters The articles in this study guide are not meant to mirror or interpret any productions at the Utah Shakespeare Festival. They are meant, instead, to be an educational jumping-off point to understanding and enjoying the plays (in any production at any theatre) a bit more thoroughly. Therefore the stories of the plays and the interpretative articles (and even characters, at times) may differ dramatically from what is ultimately produced on the Festival’s stages. Insights is published by the Utah Shakespeare Festival, 351 West Center Street; Cedar City, UT 84720. Bruce C. Lee, communications director and editor; Phil Hermansen, art director. Copyright © 2011, Utah Shakespeare Festival. Please feel free to download and print Insights, as long as you do not remove any identifying mark of the Utah Shakespeare Festival. For more information about Festival education programs: Utah Shakespeare Festival 351 West Center Street Cedar City, Utah 84720 435-586-7880 www.bard.org. Cover photo: David Ivers in The Servant of Two Masters, 2003. Contents Information on the Play Synopsis 4 The ServantCharacters of Two Masters5 About the Playwright 6 Scholarly Articles on the Play The Politices of Self Interest 8 Replacing Farces with Comedies 10 Utah Shakespeare Festival 3 351 West Center Street • Cedar City, Utah 84720 • 435-586-7880 Synopsis: The Servant of Two Masters The play begins in the Venetian house of Pantalone, where a party is underway to celebrate the engagement of Clarice, daughter of Pantalone, to Silvio, son of Doctor Lombardi.
    [Show full text]
  • Casa Di Carlo Goldoni
    Fondazione Musei Civici di Venezia — Carlo Goldoni’s House The Home of his Theatre Self-Guided Museum Tour Booklet ENG Contents Carlo Goldoni’s life 4 Ca’ Centani: the house where he was 6 born Portego – ground floor 8 Portego – first floor 9 Puppet theatre room – first floor 21 Dining room 26 Library – second floor 30 2 The world is a beautiful book, but of little use to him who cannot read it. 3 Carlo Goldoni‘s life eventually achieved a degree in Law in Padua, in 1731. He then went on to practice as an assistant-clerk and lawyer, 01 then a consul of Genoa to Venice. None of these professions ap- pealed to him, his thoughts and his time always leaning towards satisfying his theatrical yearning. He avidly read Italian and foreign playwrights, composing pieces in various genres (librettos for musical operas, tragicomedies, dramas, tragedies, satires and entr’actes, poetry). He entered into direct contact with the theatre world: impresa- rios, authors, actors, stock characters and arlo Goldoni’s life and inamoratas, female servants, masks, organisers; from 1734 spans from Venice – to 1743 he worked for the Grimanis’ at the San Samuele theatre. where he was born in In 1747 he met theatrical manager Gerolamo Medebach and C 1707, at Ca’ Centanni signed a contract as in-house dramatist – to Paris, where he died in 1793. at the Sant’Angelo theatre. His task of reforming Italian theatre A very gifted child, he expressed therefore began at this point; his comedies would no longer be his passion for the theatre from tangled mannerisms but true and ‘modern’ theatre texts, enti- a very early age.
    [Show full text]
  • Salieri and Schubert's Early Opinion of Beethoven
    Writing Under the Influence?: Salieri and Schubert's Early Opinion of Beethoven Christopher H. Gibbs To Ludwig van Beethoven From his worshipper and admirer Franz Schubert In 1822, Schubert dedicated his Variations on a French Theme for Piano Four-Hands, Op. 10 (D624) to Beethoven. This dedication was his most public and extravagant proclamation of an abiding reverence for the older master that he held until his dying day. Indeed, if Ferdinand Schubert is to be believed, his younger brother's last wish was to be buried near Beethoven, which is exactly what happened (Deutsch 1946:825). A lifelong devotion is implied in Schubert's letters' and plainly stated in the recollections of fam­ ily and friends. 2 The impress and challenge of Beethoven's music on Schubert's is also apparent from the start of his compositional career, and only intensified, I believe, as he matured and engaged with it ever more directly.3 Beyond purely compositional matters, Schubert modeled his pro­ fessional career on Beethoven's in crucial respects and benefited from his relations with many of the same performers, publishers, patrons, and crit­ ics who were involved with the older composer (Solomon 1979a; Gingerich 1996; Gibbs 2000). Contemporaries frequently made comparisons between their compositions; as we shall see, critics usually mentioned Beethoven when reviewing Schubert's piano and chamber works.4 While these circumstances are unsurprising-Beethoven was, after all, the preeminent composer of the time and the two men lived in the same city throughout Schubert's life-there is one sour note: Schubert's alleged hostility, early in his career, to Beethoven's music.
    [Show full text]
  • House of Carlo Goldoni the Home of His Theatre
    House of English Carlo Goldoni _ The Home of his Theatre Accompanying booklet for the museum visit You are kindly requested to return this booklet upon ending your visit THE LIFE OF CARLO GOLDONI The life of Carlo Goldoni can be traced from Venice – where he was born in 1707, at Ca’ Centanni – to Paris, where he died in 1793. A child with uncommon wits bestowed upon him, he expressed his passion for the theatre from a very early age. Soon after the turn of his eighth birthday he was playing intently with toy puppet-theatres and composing his first theatrical plot. His family affairs led him to travel frequently around Italy: Perugia, Rimini, Modena, Milan… He would also be involved in military skirmishes and even in war. Following various mishaps with tutors and schools, he finally achieved his degree in Law in Padua, in 1731. He was to be assistant-clerk and lawyer, then a consul of Genoa to Venice. None of these professions appealed to him, his thoughts and his time always lent towards satisfying his theatrical yearning. He avidly read Italian and foreign playwrights, composing pieces in various genres (librettos for musical operas, tragicomedies, dramas, tragedies, satires and entr’actes, poetry). He entered into direct contact with the theatre world: impresarios, authors, actors and lovers, handmaids, masks, organisers; from 1734 to 1743 he worked for the Grimanis’ at the theatre of San Samuele. In 1747 he met the theatre impresario Gerolamo Medebach and signed a contract for the theatre at Sant’Angelo. His task of reforming Italian theatre therefore began at this point; his comedies would no longer be tangled mannerisms but true and ‘modern’ theatre texts, entirely scripted, with the various roles defined and assigned, line after line.
    [Show full text]