- Performer Name:
- Sgricci; Mazzei
- Performance Venue:
- Pisa
- Performance Date:
- 1820
- Author:
- Clairmont, Claire
- Date Written:
- 1820
- Language:
- English
- Publication Title:
- The Journals of Claire Clairmont
- Article Title:
- Page Numbers:
- 190-99, 205-07, 216-19, 229-31, 262
- Additional Info:
- Ed. Marion Kingston Stocking
- Publisher:
- Harvard University Press
- Place of Publication:
- Cambridge, MA
- Date Published:
- 1968
Text:
[190] Friday Dec. 1st. […] <In the Evenin> Pacchiani, Sgricci* and Esopo sup. Sgricci improvisava upon the future independence of Italy—<News of damm'd Brute>. Sgricci imitates him & his friend Eliseo. […]
[191] Thursday Dec 7th. […] <Sg> Scricci dines. […]
[193] Teusday Dec. 12th. […] In the evening, the Signor Vaccà and Scricci call. […]
[198] Thursday Dec. 21st.** […] Spend two hours with Emilia then to the theatre to hear <Sg> Scricci—He improvisa's a Canzone upon Pyramus & Thisbe then a tragedy, Iphegenia in Tauris<s>. Wonderfully fine; <he seemed> it seemed not the work of a human mind, but as if he were the instrument <of the passion> interpreting played upon by the superhuman inspirations of a God;*** the impression was so strong & fresh, a feature which belongs peculiarly to the art of the Improvisare. Of Iphegenia in grief he said—<her forehead appears [199] clear> her clear fair forehead appears like a star in the morning mist. […]
Friday Dec 22nd. […] Sgricci & Pacchiani sup. […]
[205] Friday Jany 26th. […] A parcel from Pisa via Sgricci which contains a letter from Ravenna. […]
[206] Monday Jany 29th. […] Walk with the Marchesa to Madame Martini & Sgricci. […]
[207] Friday Feb. 2nd. […] In the Evening Sgricci calls– […]
Teusday Feb. 6th. […] Sgricci calls. He says the Neapolitans— [208] those few who were for the Constitution cried Viva la Costernazione instead of <Constr> Costituzione. […]
Thursday Feb. 8th. Go with the Doctor and his wife to Casa <Mazzei> Mazzei**** <where> to hear Madame Mazzei improvisare which she did upon Liberty, love, Agrippina returning with the ashes of Germanicus, whether love was aristocratical or democratical, a Scene between Helen and Hecuba, and a Canzone of the Matron of Ephesus, a Song which were [?]<w> of the Eyes or Mouth was most expressive […]
[216] Friday March. 16 In the Morning call upon Madame Orlandini—Sgricci, Abate Nuova casa Monsieur Blarnis & the Signora Luisa Mugnai there. […]
[219] Saturday March 31st. Rainy day. Write to Mary & Emilia. In the Evening go to Casa Orlandini and then with the Signora to Casa Marucelli where there is an Accademia, and the Signora Mazzei improvisava. 1st. Acis & Galatea, 2d. the Rape of Prosperpine. & 3rd. Whether Infidelity or Constancy was most amusing in Love, but the Question however she did not settle.
[229] Thursday May 3rd. […] The Signor Avvocato Biondi***** calls also Signor Sgricci.
[230] Monday May 7th. […] After dinner call upon La Martini. See Sgricci. […]
[231] Wednesday May 16th. Call upon the Signora Orlandini—Sgricci and the Canonico Cambi there. […]
[262] Wednesday Dec. 5th. […] Meet Signor Sgricci and Mr. Sloane and Michael riding. […]
*Tommaso Sgricci (1789-1836), the most celebrated improvvisatore of his day. See Appendix C.
**Mary's diary for December 21 says: "Greek—call on the Princess Argiropolis & Emilia—Prince Mavrocodarto calls & Pacchiani—Go to the theatre & hear the Improvise of Sgricci—A most wonderful & delightful exhibition—He poured forth a torrent of poetry clothed in the most beautiful language" (Abinger MSS.; cf. Mary Shelley's Journal, p. 142; the two days, December 20 and 21, had been run together in Shelley and Mary). This is the performance described by Shelley to Byron, as reported by Medwin (who confused Pisa with Lucca):
"But Sgricci! To extemporize a whole tragedy seeems a miraculous gift."
"I heard him improvise a five-act play at Lucca," said Shelley, "on the subject of the 'Iphigenia in Tauris,' and never was more interested. He put one of the finest speeches into the mouth of Iphigenia I ever heard. She compared her brother Orestes to the sole remaining pillar on which a temple hung tottering, in the act of ruin. The idea, it is true, is from Euripides, but he made it his own."
(Medwin, Conversations of Lord Byron, ed. Lovell, p. 137.)
***Notopoulos cites this passage (as quoted by Dowden) as evidence for placing Shelley's translation of Plato's Ion in 1820, since "the thought and phrase here clearly reflect the influence of the Ion which she must have read in Shelley's translation" ("New Texts of Shelley's Plato," KSJ 15:110 [Winter 1966]).
****The Signora Lucretia Mazzei, celebrated improvvisatrice, was of an illustrious and ancient family. Her virtuosity was in her command of verse forms: the octaves of Tasso, the tercets of Dante, the "loose and unconstrained numbers" of Metastasio (Rambles in Italy: In the Years 1816 … 17, "by an American," pp. 283-284). Lady Murray was one of those invited to Signora Mazzei's own house on the morning Claire describes, and she has left an account: "Whether love is aristocratic or democratic? (she pronounced in favor of the latter); whether the eyes or the mouth are most powerful in love? (the answer to this question was given in twelve lines, expressing some beautiful ideas)." Earlier Lady Murray had heard her at Madame Orlandini's and described the Signora herself: "She appeared about forty; her face plain and pale, blue eyes, and rather a flat nose. She wore a black hat and feathers, with a mob-cap tied under her chin, a high black velvet spencer, and a grey silk petticoat: her waist was remarkably thick." But the moment she began to improvise, her plainness was forgotten, and her melodious voice, her ease and animation of speech gave her "an air of inspiration totally independent of her exterior" (Lady Murray, Journal, IV, 270-272). Madame de Staël modeled the heroine of her Corinne on Signora Mazzei.
*****The avvocato (lawyer) Carlo Biondi was the brother of the Luigi Biondi who married Emilia Viviani on September 8, 1821. They were sons of Francesco Biondi, former president of the Buon Governo (Good Government) and councillor of state, of Pomerance, and Maria Bertolini (Viviani Della Robbia, Vita di una donna, p. 133).
Notes:
- Collected by:
- DP