January 25, 2013 | Theatre,

Check out these films, books, and music related to The Servant of Two Masters!

FILMS

Casanova (2005)
Heath Ledger brings the larger-than-life rogue Casanova to life in 18^th Century Venice, complete with gondolas, piazzas and masquerades. Following the scandalously funny exploits of the iconic anti-hero as he breaks hearts and even destroys a few marriages, the rich environment of Venice seeps in, bringing with it some fantastic glimpses of period life as well as some commedia costumes popular at the time. When the original ladies’ man meets a woman who is actually not interested in him, he is challenged to go beyond surface level and reveal his true self—the one without a mask.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
Take a chance to re-examine the pan-ultimate cult classic and you can see that almost all of the characters line up with commedia dell’arte stock characters:  Brad and Janet play the Lovers, Columbia plays the Colombina, Riff Raff is the hunchbacked Pulcinella, the Narrator acts as the Doctor, and Frankie doubles up as a Pantalone/Captain character. The question still remains: where does Dr. Frank-N-Furter fit in? The zany film that has defined generations turns out to have more behind it than the creation of a simple pulp movie.

Duck Soup (1933)
The classic comedians The Marx Brothers developed a style of physical comedy with origins deeply rooted in commedia dell’arte. In Duck Soup, often considered one of their funniest and most popular films, the influence of the slap-stick comedy takes over as two spies try to overthrow the new dictator of the mythical land of Freedonia after he insults the citizens living there. With their signature wacky and satirical tone, this proves to be one of the Brothers best films.

BOOKS

The Italian Comedy by Pierre Louis Duchartre (1966)
In a comprehensive and accessible history of the form, historian Pierre Louis Ducharte documents the trail of commedia dell’arte spanning its origins in Italy through its influence to modern day. Accompanied by vivid period illustrations of stock characters, costumes, and masks, this text has become the definitive edition for those inquiring about the form of commedia and theatre history. In addition, there are descriptions of improvisations, acting styles, and specific staging that has been birthed from the tradition.

Harlequin Valentine by Neil Gaiman, illustrations by John Bolton (2002)
Award-winning fantasy author Neil Gaiman (Stardust) writes an original comic book following the commedia dell’arte character Harlequin and his love affair with Columbine in a modernized setting. Throughout the dark urban tale of fantasy and tomfoolery, bits of actual commedia history are intertwined with the engrossing narrative— enriched by stunning illustrations by John Bolton utilizing stark, brightly costumed characters against a muted landscape. Gaiman’s poetic and heartfelt writing lends a rare, deep touch to the humorous and heartwarming tale of Harlequin’s passion.

The City of Falling Angels by John Berendt (2006)
The 1996 fire that tragically destroyed the Venice Opera House is reconstructed through interviews and narratives gathered by John Berendt, bestselling author of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. Through this recent disaster, Berendt uncovers layers of Venetian history as well as the rich happenings from the Opera House—one of the greatest performance venues in all of Europe during the Renaissance and beyond for opera, theatre, commedia and dance. The narrative turns from travelogue to historical record to an homage to one of the most haunting and mysterious cities in the world.

 

MUSIC

Pagliacci by Ruggero Leoncavallo, Recorded by the London Symphony Orchestra (1998)
The classic late 19^th century opera by Ruggero Leoncavallo features a full host of commedia dell’arte characters as they enter a town to put on one of the touring shows. The twisted tale of love and loss from the play-within-a-play begins to mirror the real lives of the actors, and as the relationships become more complicated, the tension between the actors results in mortal peril. This recording of the famous Leoncavallo piece features the singing talents of Plácido Domingo and music by the London Symphony Orchestra.

Masquerade Suite by Aram Khachaturian, Conducted by Kirill Kondrashin (1999)
Recorded during legendary Russian conductor Kirill Kondrashin’s early career visit to the U.S. in 1958, this compilation of classical music features some fantastic pieces relating to commedia style: Aram Khachaturian’s romantic symphonic suite Masquerade written for a play in the 1940s; The Comedians written by Dmitry Kabalevsky, featuring his most famous piece “Comedian’s Galop” which became one of the most famous pieces in Russian music; and Tchaikovsky’s Capriccio Italien, written after the famed composers trip to Italy which inspired him to write this fantasia influenced by Carnivale and Italian street songs.

The Marx Brothers: Greatest Hits (2011)
The multi-talented Marx Brothers, greatly influenced by commedia dell’arte for their style of physical comedy, also drew inspiration from music to complete their famous films. This compilation features many of the instrumental recordings that enhance the Marx Brothers comedic routines as well as some tunes written by the performers themselves. Additionally, tracks include vocal talents such as Bing Crosby, Vera Ellen, and the Ken Lane Singers.