Carlo Goldoni

Carlo Goldoni

Birth : 1707-02-28, Venice, Italy

Death : 1793-02-06

History

Carlo Osvaldo Goldoni (1707–1793) was an Italian playwright and librettist from the Republic of Venice. His works include some of Italy's most famous and best-loved plays. His plays offered his contemporaries images of themselves, often dramatizing the lives, values, and conflicts of the emerging middle classes. Goldoni also wrote under the pen name and title 'Polisseno Fegeio, Pastor Arcade', which, so he claimed in his memoirs, the "Arcadians of Rome" bestowed upon him. Goldoni took to himself the task of superseding the Commedia dell'Arte by representations of actual life and manners through the characters and their behaviors. He rightly maintained that Italian life and manners were susceptible of artistic treatment such as had not been given them before. His works are a lasting monument to the changes that he initiated: a dramatic revolution that had been attempted but not achieved before.

Profile

Carlo Goldoni

Movies

National Theatre Live: One Man, Two Guvnors
Original Story
Fired from his skiffle band, Francis Henshall becomes minder to Roscoe Crabbe, a small time East End hood, now in Brighton to collect £6,000 from his fiancée’s dad. But Roscoe is really his sister Rachel posing as her own dead brother, who’s been killed by her boyfriend Stanley Stubbers. Holed up at The Cricketers’ Arms, the permanently ravenous Francis spots the chance of an extra meal ticket and takes a second job with one Stanley Stubbers, who is hiding from the police and waiting to be re-united with Rachel. To prevent discovery, Francis must keep his two guvnors apart. Simple.
The Servant of Two Masters
Theatre Play
New recording of the most succesful play of Prague's National Theater starring Miroslav Donutil. Goldoni's comedy "Servant of Two Masters" is typical example of classical "commedie dell'arte". Beatrice arrives in Venice dressed as her brother who was killed by her lover Florindo. Florindo also escapes from Tourine. Beatrice hires Truffaldino, a servant who also lets himself be hired by another master to get twice as much money and food. The second master is indeed Florindo, who coincidentally accomodates in the same hostel as Beatrice...
Wolf-Ferrari : The Cunning Widow (Teatro La Fenice di Venzia)
Original Story
Wolf-Ferrari’s comic opera La vedova scaltra (The Cunning Widow), is among the works he based on plays by Goldoni. It matches closely the conventions of 18th-century opera buffa in its witty if sceptical look at the mechanisms governing the interplay of human relations. Four hopeful suitors, English, French, Spanish and Italian, vie for the hand of Rosaura, the cunning widow of the title, who disguises herself to meet each wooer, eventually choosing the only one who can demonstrate his sincerity. This production, filmed live at the Teatro La Fenice in February 2007 in celebration of the 300th anniversary of the birth of Goldoni in Venice in 1707, is the first to appear on DVD.
Impresário ze Smyrny
Theatre Play
La Locandiera
Author
The Newspaper
Original Story
The writer Dario Fo applies his inventive genius to Rossini's comic opera in its premiere DVD release. Recorded in 2005 under the musical direction of Maurizio Barbacini, Fo's production brings fresh vitality and colour to the story of Lisetta, and of her father Don Pomponio's increasingly ridiculous attempts to find a husband for her through an advertisement in the newspaper LA GAZZETTA. Filmed using high definition cameras with multitrack sound.
Sluha dvou pánů
Theatre Play
Les jumeaux vénitiens
Writer
Poprask na laguně
Theatre Play
L'imprésario de Smyrne
Writer
The Venetian performance world is on the alert: an impresario is looking for talent to stage what he defines as the most beautiful opera of his time. Everyone goes there from their pushy little merry-go-round to attract the favors of the character and extricate themselves from misery. But the main interested party hardly seems to be sensitive to these effects.
Miranda
Theatre Play
Miranda is a sensual tavern owner with a taste for men of all types. Over a year's time, Miranda copes with the death of her husband by enjoying the talents of a different lover for each of the four seasons. All the men are delightful, but which one is the best lover, and who will make a suitable husband?
La locandiera
Writer
The innkeeper Mirandolina is a beautiful girl, and for her beauty the Count of Albafiorita and the Marquis of Forlimpopoli fall in love.
Truffaldino from Bergamo
Theatre Play
A funny musical comedy based on the famous theater play "Servant of Two Masters" by Carlo Goldoni.
Sluha dvou pánů
Theatre Play
Žiarlivé ženy
Writer
The Coffee House
Author
Avant-garde adaptation of a Carlo Goldoni play. Well-to-do Venetians congregate in a coffee house and discuss their problems.
Čtyři páni hrubiáni
Theatre Play
Der Impresario von Smyrna
Story
The Boors
Theatre Play
Movie adaptation after Carlo Goldoni`s "I rusteghi" comedy, written in 1760.
Poprask na laguně
Theatre Play
Zpívající Benátky
Theatre Play
Khozyayka gostinitsy
Writer
An attractive woman who runs a country hotel tricks three men who challenge her favour.
Servant of Two Masters
Theatre Play
A funny comedy based on the famous theater play "Servant of Two Masters" by Carlo Goldoni.