The dove
The mischievous Colombina is a comic character from the Commedia dell'Arte, known for being mischievous and charming. She is a maidservant, and often accompanied by Arlecchino, her faithful companion in adventures and sometimes disconsolate lover. Synonyms for "mischievous" could be cunning, cunning, shrewd, and synonyms for "charming" could be charming, seductive, attractive.
When she enters the stage, she does not go unnoticed due to her outstanding skills of feminine ease, charm and wit.
The figure of the Harlequin is also known by other names such as Corallina, Ricciolina, Camilla and Lisetta. Over time, it has evolved and refined, following the trends of French fashion, becoming the elegant puppet in the comedy "La Vedova Astuta" by Carlo Goldoni.
The dress is elegant, often with elegant colored patches like Harlequin's, adorned with a pretty white cap and an apron of the same color. Sometimes it looks completely like the costume of eighteenth-century servants. He rarely wears the mask, he expresses himself in different dialects, but prefers the Venetian or Tuscan ones.
She was played by the talented actress Marie Catherine Biancolelli, also known as Anna Veronese (or Corallina) and Marina Antonazzoni (from the Compagnia dei Gelosi, nicknamed Ricciolina). Also, another internationally renowned actor, Maurice Sand, attended the play.
The character
Before the appearance of the commedia dell'arte, female characters on stage were often portrayed as naïve and were played by men in disguise. However, starting from the mid-sixteenth century, women began to obtain an increasingly important role in theatrical acting, until they reached a more precise and defined representation.
The character of Colombina was mentioned for the first time in the text "Cicalamento in canzonette ridiculousse, that is a treaty of marriage between comic Buffetto and Colombina" written by Carlo Cantù in 1646. The name debuted in 1683 with Caterina Biancolelli, daughter of a family of actors of the commedia dell'arte, who became one of the leading actresses of the Italian troupe in France. Among his more famous relatives was Dominique Biancolelli, known as Harlequin, who became one of the most beloved actors of the French public in the seventeenth century.
The best-known dramatic text in which Colombina appears is the comedy "Colombine avocat pour et contre", performed for the first time in June 1685 and repeated several times both at the Comédie-Italienne and at the Foire theatre. In this representation, the characters of Arlecchino and Colombina perform in a mixed language between French, Italian and Veneto-Bergamo dialect.
The "Flight of the Columbine"
The "Flight of the Colombina" is an exciting performance of the famous Venice carnival. It consists of the descent of an artist along a rope stretched from the belfry of the bell tower of San Marco towards the Doge's Palace. The route is known as the "Flight of the Colomba", but recently, starting from 2001, it has been renamed "Flight of the Colombina" because the artist who performs it often wears the clothes of the mask.
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This costume is made with high quality fabrics and attention to the smallest details to guarantee you a perfect fit and an elegant and sophisticated look. The design is inspired by the traditional commedia dell'arte mask, with a long dress and a pointed hat.
But it's not just the aesthetics that are important, comfort is also essential. Colombina's costume is designed to guarantee maximum freedom of movement, so you can focus on your performance without being restricted by your mask.
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