Quick Facts
Biography
Andrea Calmo (1510 in Venice – 1571) was an Italian actor and author (dramatist) of Commedia dell'Arte, and one of the pioneers of this type of masked theater, as created for the 16th century Venetian audience. Calmo departed from typical theater norms of the time, focusing less on the text and objectivity, and more on the whole performance as a piece of art in and of itself.
His six comedies are Las Spagnolas (1549), La Saltuzza (1551),La Fiorina (1552), La Pozione (1552), La Rodiana (1553), and il Travaglio (1556). He also published a number of eclogues. All these works were typically in rhyme.
Calmo also corresponded with a number of important artists including Anton Francesco Doni, Pietro Aretino, and Tintoretto, and discussed art and scenography.
Sources
- Boni, Filippo de' (1852). Biografia degli artisti ovvero dizionario della vita e delle opere dei pittori, degli scultori, degli intagliatori, dei tipografi e dei musici di ogni nazione che fiorirono da'tempi più remoti sino á nostri giorni. Seconda Edizione.. Venice; Googlebooks: Presso Andrea Santini e Figlio. p. 171.
- Castagno, Paul C. (1994-03-01). ""Mente teatrale: Andrea Calmo and the Victory of the Performance Text in Cinquecento commedia"". Journal of Dramatic Theory and Criticism: 27–58. ISSN 0888-3203.