Compagnia dei Comici Gelosi

I Gelosi («The Zealous ones») was an Italian acting that performed commedia dell'arte from 1569 to 1604. Their name stems form their motto: Virtù, fama ed honor ne fèr gelosi. This was long thought to mean "Virtue honour, and renown are only for the jealous", signifying that the former qualities could only be attributed to those who guarded them jealously. Modern reevaluations have considered "zealous" as a more accurate translation over "jealous"; redefining their motto to signify that, as actors, they were zealous to please.

I Gelosi was formed in Milan, Italy by Flaminio Scala. Their first notable performer was Vittoria Piisimi. I Gelosi was the first troupe to be patronized by nobility: in 1574 and 1577 they performed for the king of France. After this they toured all over Europe, spreading commedia dell'arte from Italy to France, Poland, Spain, Germany, and England.

In the 1570s, Francesco Andreini joined I Gelosi and in 1578 he married Isabella Canali, an actress with the troupe. The Andreinis became the troupe's most famous performers and eventually Francesco took over as its head.

In 1604, Isabella died in childbirth in France. Francesco was so overwrought that he disbanded the troupe and retired from the stage. The stock commedia dell'arte character Isabella is named in her honor.

The Gelosi are first recored as performing in Milan in 1568. Many of the original members of the troupe were also associated with the troupe of Zan Ganassa. When Ganassa left for Spain, some of his actors remained in Italy and reformed under the Gelosi title, with Flaminio Scala as the first director of the new troupe. Francesco Andreini, is first heard of in the troupe in 1576, and succeeded Scala as director in 1578, though Scala remained with the troupe. Vittoria Piisimi was the group's first prima donna, but was effectively replaced with Isabella, already married to Francesco, in 1578. Francesco and Isabella made their marriage public in this year, but it is believed they were previously married in a private ceremony in 1576, soon after the birth of their first child. VIttoria left the troupe to join I Confidenti, and there were rumors that the group's banishment from Mantua was of her doing; the Confidenti were the troupe patronized by the Duke of Mantua, and the actress may have influenced his decision. The troupe, as with most of the era, always contained between 10-12 members, with most remaining in the troupe during their "Golden Age" in the late 16th Century.

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Wikipedia