STREET ARTISTS IN EUROPE - Fondazione Fitzcarraldo

Street Artists in Europe
Protestant school drama (originated in Strasbourg) and Jesuits street theatre (the first in
Köln 1581) exploited the identical form of performances for larger public on the street (stage on
barrels) in order to support the ideological conviction and belief of viewers. This popular tool
kept spreading out rapidly and covered even small and remote towns and locations in 17 th and
18 th centuries throughout Europe. Dance of Death and Theatrum Mortis scenes (Jesuits stage
designs Gran teatro Barocco in Soprony) copying the pattern of theatrum sacrum: teatro-scenatrionfo-apoteosi
256 became one of the frequent church theatre subdivisions. After 1637 when the
professional Italian opera was introduced to the public Teatro di San Cassiano in Venice, the
polarization between theatre building and off performances even increased. Baroque era itself
originated the idea of the world as a theatre – theatrum mundi, where Deus is the stage manager,
everyone is an actor and they play everywhere, public space and streets including. Baroque
festivities highlighted with Coronations and Weddings remained as the impressive whole-life
memories for participants. During the Habsburg – Gonzaga coronation in Prague (1628) there
were besides regular Italian opera and oratorium performances, and Jesuit play the English
actors with Pickelhering and street (court) entertainers “giocolieri che danzeranno” and
“marionettisti”.
Having converted to Catholicism the entry into Rome of Christina, Queen of Sweden through
the Porta del Popolo (1655) was a big performance for Romans and the whole Europe. The
procession led by the papal Magistro Ceremoniarium, followed by Roman, Florentine and
German gentry was ended with the fireworks – an obvious show for everyone. There were
fireworks as well for the entry into Lille of Louis XIV. (1680) accompanied by The
gigantomachia, with was the artificial mountain on which the giants appear. Procession through
the streets of Dresden held by Friedrich August I. (1695) was described as ‘Götter Aufzug’
(Gods Parade). Similarly, the entry into Cracow of Friedrich August, Elector of Saxony (1697),
for election and coronation of the King was a magnificence parade and wealth and power
demonstration including many military troupes, companies and listed noble individuals with
twenty camels decorated with gold. The Sieg-Streit/deß Lufft u. Wassers by Anron Bertali (Fr.
Sbarro), choreographus Aless. Carducci took place at the Viennese Burgplatz in 1667. There
was nobility present followed by the wagons and four symbolic Earth Elements: Air with 30
winds, Fire (Vulcano), Water and Earth. Professional theatre companies traveling in Italy, in
England and after 1700 all over Europe contributed to repertory, acting art and national tradition
sharing.
Water Music festivities inspired by Venice celebrations spread to other ports, rivers (Haendel’s
Water music or Prag’s Musicae navales on the occasion of St John of Nepomuk day on May
15 th , 1708 – 1795) and lakes (Gonzaga’s Mantova water performances). The "Gloria d'Amore"
was a water spectacle in Parma (1690) designed by Aurelio Aurelii Domenico Mauri and
Antonio Vezzani to celibrate the wedding of Odoardo II Farnese, Duke of Parma, and Dorothea
Sophia, Princess of Pfalz-Neuburg. Originally the Roman cardinals supported generously the
comedians as stated in 1668 257 '. Later on comedians (comici) and their performances were
considered a reason for riots and thus prohibited “in any place of the city” (1673) 258 . On behalf
of the Pope, the Rome Governor prohibited in 1689 anybody to ‘organize or realize (publicky or
privately) any type of carnival entertainment. Specially prohibited are: parties, balls, moresche,
256 Bardi, Terézia: "Il teatro della morte", in Barokní Praha – barokní Čechie, 1620 – 1740, Scriptorium, Praha
2004, s. 889; Bardi, T. – Fagiolo, M. – Knapp, E.: The Sopron Collection of Jesuit Stage Design, Budapest
1999.
257 'Si ordina di dare 50 scudi in moneta ai comici, che hanno rappresentato le commedie, «per un palchetto nel loro
teatro». Il mandato dovra essere preparato a nome di Antonio Loli.' [Cardinale Chigi], Roma 24.2.1668, I
Gonzaga e l’Impero. Itinerari dello spettacolo, Florence 2005, HERLA CD database P675.
258 Ibid. 5.1.1673, Roma, A173.
149
PE 375.307