The Trajectory of the Diva in Grand Tour Italy: Antonia Cavallucci and the Politics of Beauty and Fame
AbstractThe story of Antonia Cavallucci, attrice comica, who became a cantattrice and her fate in the theatre culture of mid-eighteenth century Italy is addressed in this case study which charts the fame and fortune of Cavallucci, whose career began as one of Venetian playwright Carlo Goldoni’s female protagonists. Cavallucci’s story moves the study of early modern actresses in Italy from the formulaic biographical treatment of actresses’ lives to a probing narrative that explores and exposes the stakes for both the actress and admiring spectator alike. The letters exchanged between Antonia Cavallucci and her patron, Giovanni Bianchi, reveal the conditions under which the nascent diva behavior and persona emerged, only to be quashed by the politics of fame, gender, and religion that ultimately damaged the reputation and careers of both Cavallucci and Bianchi alike. This article also includes a comparative consideration of actresses in England and Italy.