This dissertation has been microfilmed exactly as received 68—2969 COBES, John Paul, 1932- THE COURT THEATRES OF THE FARNESE FROM 1618 TO 1690. [Figures I-V also IX and X not microfilmed at request of author. Available for consultation at The Ohio State University Library], The Ohio State University, Ph.D., 1967 Speech-Theater University Microfilms, Inc., Ann Arbor, Michigan (S) Copyright by- John Paul Cobes 1968 THE COURT THEATRES OF THE FARNESE FROM 1618 TO 1690 DISSERTATION Presented In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The Ohio S tate U niversity By John Paul Cobes, B.S., M.A. ******** The Ohio State University 1967 Approved by Z. Adviser Department of Speech PLEASE NOTE: Figures I-V also IX and X not microfilmed at request of auth­ or. Available for consultation at The Ohio State University Library. UNIVERSITY MICROFILMS. The author wishes to acknowledge, with dee nest gratitude, the assistance, suggestions, and guidance of the following persons, all of whom were instrumental in the camnletion of this study; Dr. Row H. Bowen, adviser to this study, and all the nersonnel of the Theatre Division of the Deonrtment of Speech at the Ohio State University. Dr. John ft. McDowell and Dr. John q . Morrow, advisers to this study, a".d nil +V> -•ersonnel of the Theatre Collection of the Ohio State Universit.w, D r. A l^ent M ancini of th e I t a l i a n D iv isio n o f th e Romance La.-wn.aTes Department of the Ohio State University’. The librarian s and nerson-el of the following libraries who took time from bus” schedules to m w r letters, to so-‘d rare books, av,d to search for and fi1 ’ \”'rn documents and papers essential to this study; the Cleveland Public Libra r’r, the Newberry Library, the New York habile Library, the Music Division of the Library of Congress, the Civic Library of Ferrara, Italy, the Civic Library of Piacenza, Italy, the State Archives of Parma, Italy, and the National Central Library o f I t a l y . Mw wife, whose patience and good humor "even failed during the time this study was bei"g done, and whose comments have contributed to the stud-r in many wa-m. My mother, whose original challenge is the reason for this study. i-i VITA September 7* 1932 Born - Ecorse, Michigan 1959 •••••• B ,S .t Music, The Ohio State U niversity 1 9 6 1 .................... M,A., Theatre, The Ohio State University 1962-1964 , . „ Technical Assistant, Department of Speech, The Ohio State University 1964-1966 . * . Technical Director of Theatre, Instructor in Speech, The University of Wyoming 1966-1967 Technical Assistant, Department of Speech, The Ohio State University FIELDS OF STUDY Major Field: Theatre Studies in Theatre History* Professor John H. McDowell Studies in Dramatic Literature* Professors Everett Schreck and John H* McDowell Studies in Technical Theatre* Professor Walter S* Dewey Studies in Directing* Professor Roy H. Bowen Minor Field: Music Studies in Voice Pedagogy* Professor Dale V* Gilliland iii CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGMENTS..................................................................................................... i i VITA ............................................................................................................ i i i ILLUSTRATIONS .................... v i TABLES .......................................................... v i i i Chapter I . INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY.............................................................. 1 A Review of the L ite ra tu re .••••.■•••••••. 2 The Specific Aims of the Study ......................................... 9 The Limitations of the Study ....................................................... 10 The Nature of the Evidence 12 Procedures ......................... 1^ I I . THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE OPERA............................................. 19 Introduction . 19 The First Opera 22 The Musical Style of the Early Opera .............................. .... 24 The Subjects of the Early Operas •••••••••••• 31 Early Operatic Scenography ..................... •••••»••• 44 I I I . A CHRONOLOGY OF THE COURT THEATRES OF PARMA.......................... 51 Conclusions ........................................................................... 54 IV. THE THEATRES OF THE CITY OF PARMA........................ 65 The Tournament Theatre of Parma •••••«.................... 69 The Construction of the Theatre ••••.••••••• 69 The Forerunners of the Tournament Theatre at Parma . 72 1618 or 1628? .................................................................................... 80 The Design and the Construction of the Theatre • • • • • 83 Summary 93 The Machines for the Stage of the Tournament Theatre . 95 The Cloud Machine .••••••••••••.*•••• 95 The Umbrella Machine •••••.•»..•••••••• 98 The Star Glory ......... a... .. ...... 100 Unverified Parma Machine Designs •..•••••.••• 100 iv CONTENTS (Contd.) Chapter Page The Nautical Battle in the Arena at Parma • •••••• 106 Summary •••••••••••••••••••••••• 108 The Teatrino di Corte ...••••••«.*.«.•• 110 The Temporary Theatre at S. Pietro Martire ....... 113 Final Conclusions 120 V. THE THEATRES OF PIACENZA.......................................................... 121 The Teatro delle Salwe ................ 124 Statistics and Measurements of the Saline ..••••• 126 Hypotheses ....... ..................... ..••• 135 The Teatro della Cittadella 137 Statistics and Measurement of the Ducale ..«••••» 139 The Teatro d el Palazzo Communale ••••••••••.• 1^6 Summary . ................................. 1^9 VI. THE FESTIVAL SPECTACLES OF 1690 151 The Wedding and the Wedding Entourage •••••••.. 152 M ythological and A lleg o rical Anomalies a t Parma • • • • 174 The Mythology and Symbolism of La difessa della bellezza. 1618 182 Mercurio e Marte. 1628 ................. 183 V II. CONCLUSION................................................................................................. 186 Suggestions for Future Studies ••••••• 191 APPENDIX A ....................................................................................... 194 APPENDIX B .......................................................................................................... 200 APPENDIX C ..... ................................................................... ..... 202 BIBLIOGRAPHY............................. 21? v ILLUSTRATIONS Figure Page I. The First Section of the Messenger Scene of Act I of Caccini's Euridice . •••••*•••• 26 II. A Portion of an Aria from Zianni's Opera Alcibiade. Composed in 1680 27 III. Setting for the Opening Scene of La Regina Sant1 Or sola . 47 IV. Act II, Scene 2 of La Regina Sant1 Orsola 0 ...... 48 V. Scene from La Regina S a n t1 O rsola 49 VI. Final Scene from La Regina Sant1 Orsola............................. 50 VII. A Late Seventeenth Century Map of the City of Parma . 67 VIII. The Facade of the Teatro Olimpico ............ 73 IX. The Proscenium Facade of the Tournament Theatre at Parma ..................................... 74 X. A View of Part of the Seating Area of the Tournament Theatre a t Parma 75 XI. An Interior Elevation of the Original Concept for the Tournament Theatre at Parma 76 XU. An Undated and Unsigned Plan for the Tournament Theatre . 77 XIII. Donati's Ground Plan of the Tournament Theatre • • • • • ?8 XIV. An Undated and Unsigned Ground Plan for the Tournament Theatre at Parma 86 XV. A Reproduction of One of the Original Drawings by Aleotti for the Tournament Theatre 91 XVI. A Drawing of One of the Original Machines for the Tournament Theatre at Parma ••.•••••....•. 96 XVII. The Finished Appearance of the Cloud Machine in the Previous Figure ..... ........ 97 XVIII. The Umbrella Machine 99 XIX. Francesco Giutti*s Star Glory Machine .......... 101 v i ILLUSTRATIONS (Contd.) Figure Page XX, G iutti's Star Glory in the Second Two Positions as It Descends to the Stage Floor ..«••••••••. 102 XXI, A Machine for the Appearance on Stage of Fifty Persons . 104 XXII, A Machine of Communicating Bridges 105 XXIII, One of the Sea Machines Built for Mercurio e Marte , , . 109 XXIV, Two S ectional Views of an Unknown Engraver of the Tournament Theatre and the Teatrino di Corte . • , 112 XXV, The Author's Ground Plan of the Tournament Theatre and the Teatrino di Corte ........................ 114 XXVT. The Author's Conjectural Reconstruction of the Interior of the T eatrino d i Corte 115 XXVII, The Ground Plan fo r the Temporary Theatre a t S, P ie tro M artire .............. ..................... , . 118 XXVIII, The Author's Reconstruction of the Temporary Theatre at S. Pietro Martire 119 XXIX. An Old Map of the City of Piacenza ................................ 125 XXX, The Plan of the Auditorium and Stage Floor Level of the Teatro delle Saline 132 XXXI. The Plan fo r the Second Level of Boxes in the Teatro d e lle Saline 133 XXXII. The Author's Reconstruction of the Interior of the Saline 134 XXXIII. The Plan of the Floor Level of the Teatro Ducale . 141 XXXIV. The Plan of the Second Level of Boxes at the Ducale . 142 XXXV. The Plan for the Fourth and Fifth Levels of Boxes at the Ducale ................................................. 143 XXXVI. A 1690 Engraving of the Proscenium of the Ducale . 144 XXXVII. The Author's Reconstruction of the Teatro Ducale .... 145 XXXVIII. Scene 1 of L'idea di tutte le perfezione ...................... 158 v i i ILLUSTRATIONS (Contd,) Figure Page XXXIX, Scene 2 of L1 idea di tutte le nerfezione ............................. 159 XL, Scene ^ of L1idea di tutte le perfezione ........ l6 l XLI, Scene 5 of Llidea di