La Pellegrina
Encyclopedia
The Pilgrim Woman was a play performed at the Florentine
Intermedi
of 1592. The play was written by the Italian sixteenth-century playwright
and librettist Girolamo Bargagli of Sienna in 1579 but was performed for the first time on 2 May 1589, after the author's death in 1586. It is perhaps best known for the fact that it was staged on the occasion of the marriage of Ferdinand I de' Medici, grand-duke of Tuscany, with Christine de Lorraine, granddaughter of the former queen-mother of France, Catherine de' Medici
, in that year. Bernardo Buontalenti
, known as the master of Florentine spectacle, created six intermezzo designs for the play.
The play's musical interludes, or 'intermedii' have been performed more recently by the Huelgas Ensemble
in 1998, by the Hollands Vocaal Ensemble in 2003, by the Capriccio Stravagante Renaissance Orchestra in 2007, and by Consort Astræa (selections) in 2009. A total of six then-famous composers from Florence contributed to the music, which includes some of the most virtuosic vocal writing of the period in an early example of monody, in the opening aria 'Dalle piu alte sfere', which is believed to have been composed by Emilio de' Cavalieri
(Palisca, Norton Anthology of Music) , but is attributed elsewhere to Antonio Archilei, whose wife Vittoria sang this opening aria in the role of Armonia in the 1589 production.
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
Intermedi
Intermedio
The intermedio, or intermezzo, in the Italian Renaissance, was a theatrical performance or spectacle with music and often dance which was performed between the acts of a play to celebrate special occasions in Italian courts. It was one of the important predecessors to opera, and an influence on...
of 1592. The play was written by the Italian sixteenth-century playwright
Playwright
A playwright, also called a dramatist, is a person who writes plays.The term is not a variant spelling of "playwrite", but something quite distinct: the word wright is an archaic English term for a craftsman or builder...
and librettist Girolamo Bargagli of Sienna in 1579 but was performed for the first time on 2 May 1589, after the author's death in 1586. It is perhaps best known for the fact that it was staged on the occasion of the marriage of Ferdinand I de' Medici, grand-duke of Tuscany, with Christine de Lorraine, granddaughter of the former queen-mother of France, Catherine de' Medici
Catherine de' Medici
Catherine de' Medici was an Italian noblewoman who was Queen consort of France from 1547 until 1559, as the wife of King Henry II of France....
, in that year. Bernardo Buontalenti
Bernardo Buontalenti
Bernardo Buontalenti, byname of Bernardo Delle Girandole was an Italian stage designer, architect, theatrical designer, military engineer and artist.-Biography:Buontalenti was born in Florence....
, known as the master of Florentine spectacle, created six intermezzo designs for the play.
The play's musical interludes, or 'intermedii' have been performed more recently by the Huelgas Ensemble
Huelgas Ensemble
The Huelgas Ensemble is a Belgian early music group formed by the Flemish conductor Paul Van Nevel in 1971. The group's performance and extensive discography focuses on renaissance polyphony...
in 1998, by the Hollands Vocaal Ensemble in 2003, by the Capriccio Stravagante Renaissance Orchestra in 2007, and by Consort Astræa (selections) in 2009. A total of six then-famous composers from Florence contributed to the music, which includes some of the most virtuosic vocal writing of the period in an early example of monody, in the opening aria 'Dalle piu alte sfere', which is believed to have been composed by Emilio de' Cavalieri
Emilio de' Cavalieri
Emilio de' Cavalieri was an Italian composer, producer, organist, diplomat, choreographer and dancer at the end of the Renaissance era. His work, along with that of other composers active in Rome, Florence and Venice, was critical in defining the beginning of the musical Baroque era...
(Palisca, Norton Anthology of Music) , but is attributed elsewhere to Antonio Archilei, whose wife Vittoria sang this opening aria in the role of Armonia in the 1589 production.