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The Theatrical Career of Giuseppe Galli-Bibiena

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 October 2010

Kalman A. Burnim
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Extract

The Galli-Bibiena Family, whose members were summoned, one or another, sometimes several together, to the principal centers of Baroque culture, created fantastically grand scenic decorations for the lavish courts of Europe and built magnificant theatres for both prince and populace. Although charm of artistic beauty and power of phantasmal scenic creation were found in varying degrees among all of this mighty line of scenographers, their grandiose conception was epitomized in the illusionistic immensity of Giuseppe Galli-Bibiena. The Baroque period was the supreme age of illusion in the sphere of theatrical scene design and decoration, and Giuseppe was its reigning genius.

Type
Research Article
Information
Theatre Survey , Volume 6 , Issue 1 , May 1965 , pp. 32 - 53
Copyright
Copyright © American Society for Theatre Research 1965

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References

NOTES

1 For dates of births, marriages, deaths, and some official acts of appointment concerning members of the family see Hadamowsky, Franz, Die Familie Galli-Bibiena in Wien (Vienna, 1962), pp. 11–20.Google Scholar

2 Vehse, E., Memoirs of the Court and Aristocracy of Austria, trans. Demmler, Franz (London, 1896), I, 123.Google Scholar

3 The Memoirs of Charles-Lewis, Baron de Pöllnitz (London, 1739), I, 224.

4 For a history and description of the various theatres located at the several residences see Hadaraowsky, Franz, Barocktheater am Wiener Kaiserhof (Vienna, 1955), pp. 30–45.Google Scholar

5 Heraus, Karl G., Bedicte und Lateinische Inschriften (Nürnburg, 1721), pp. 125–131.Google Scholar

6 The Letters and Works of Lady Mary Worthy Montagu (London, 1861), I, 237–238. Some confusion exists about the precise dating of the first performance of this event. Until recently many have listed it as August 28, the Kaiserin's birthday; in fact, one of the original drawings by Giuseppe bears this date. (See Corrado Ricci,I Bibiena [Milan, 1915], tav. 54.) Lady Montagu, who saw the first performance, did not arrive in Vienna until August 30, and her letter dated September 14, refers to “last Sunday.” In Barocktheater am Wiener Kaiserhof, Hadamowsky gives September 10, with additional performances September 20, 21, and 27. His dates seem to agree with Lady Montagu's schedule.

7 Storia Dell 'Accademia Clementina (Bologna, 1739), II, 206–207, and Sarlos, p. 31.

8 See the ground plan for the Barcelona, 1708, performance in my article, “La Scena per Angolo—Magic by the Bibienas?” Theatre Survey, II (1961), 67–76.

9 For a discussion of his engraving and the transparencies, see Sarlos, op. cit. pp. 33–34.

10 Burnim, , “La Scena per Angolo,” pp. 73Google Scholar, 76, fig. 2; and Vriesen, Hellmuth, “Die Hochzeit dekorationen des Giuseppe Galli-Bibiena,” Maske und Kothurn, IX (1964), 316–319.Google Scholar The general festivities at both Dresden and Vienna are described by Pöllnitz, , op. cit. I, 72–75.Google Scholar

11 Pollak, Oscar, “Bibiena,” Allgemeines Lexikon der Bildenden Kiinstler, ed. Thieme, and Becker, (1909), III, 600.Google Scholar

12 Giuseppe Galli-Bibiena (Berkeley, 1954). See also Burnim, , “La Scena per Angolo,” pp. 72–73Google Scholar and fig. 1.

13 The Present State of Music in Germany, the Netherlands, and the United Provinces (London, 1773), II, 177.

14 The text and engravings appear in Costanza e Fortezza, in Denkmaler der Tonkunst in Österreich, ed. Egon Wellecz, XVII (Vienna, 1910).

15 Burnim, , “La Scena per Angolo,” pp. 67–76.Google Scholar

16 Hadamowsky, , Barocktheater, p. 174.Google Scholar

17 Die Fischer von Erlach (Vienna, 1895), p. 630.

18 Opere Del Signor Abate Pietro Metastasio (Nice, 1783), XI, 59–88.

19 Burnim, K. A., David Garrick: Director (Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press, 1961), p. 81.Google Scholar

20 Burney, Charles, Memoirs of the Life and Writings of the Abate Metastasio (London, 1796), I, 298.Google Scholar

21 Zucker, Paul, Die Theater Dekoration des Barock (Berlin, 1925), p. 30.Google Scholar

22 Sonneck, Oscar, Catalogue of Opera Librettos Printed Before 1800 (Washington, 1914), I, 637.Google Scholar Two engravings of the decorations of the Winterreitschule appear at the end of the 1744 Paris edition of Architetture e Prospettive.

23 Present State of Music, I, 366.

24 See Hadamowsky, , Die Familie Galli-Bibiena in Wien, p. 10.Google Scholar

25 Fürstenau, , Zur Geschichte der Musik, p. 256.Google Scholar

26 Cited by Hyatt Mayor, A., The Bibiena Family (New York, 1945), p. 35Google Scholar, also plates 22, 23, 24, 25; also see Hofmann, Friedrich, Bayreuth und seine Kunstdenkmale (Munich, 1902), pp. 205–210Google Scholar and Rudloff-Hille, Gertrud, “Die Bayreuther Hofbühne im 17. und 18. Jahrhundert,” Archiv fur Geschichte und Alterumskunde von Oberfranken, XXXIII (1936), 67–138.Google Scholar

27 Hofmann, , op. cit. p. 206.Google Scholar

28 Der Moderne Theaterbau (Berlin, 1906), pp. 162–64.

29 Present State of Music, II, 99 and 112.

30 Schneider, L., Geschichte der Oper und des Königlichen Operahauses in Berlin (Berlin, 1852), pp. 135–47Google Scholar, and Brachvogel, A. G., Geschichte des Königlichen Theaters zu Berlin (Berlin, 1877), I, 146–149.Google Scholar

31 Brachvogel's date, May 27, is incorrect. Sonneck (I, 829) notes this opera was for the Queen's birthday, March 27. It was Villati's last work; he died July 9, 1752.

32 The Bibiena Family.