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Genre

Masque

Dramatic Genres

The masque was a form of festive courtly entertainment that flourished in sixteenth- and early seventeenth-century Europe, with earlier roots in Italian forms such as the intermedio, combining music, dancing, singing and acting within elaborate stage design. Professional actors performed alongside courtiers, who often took part as non-speaking dancers; recorded participants include Anne of Denmark, who danced in masques between 1603 and 1611, and the monarchs Henry VIII and Charles I, who performed in court masques themselves, while in France Louis XIV danced in related ballets at Versailles with music by Jean-Baptiste Lully.

Facts
Place of Origin
Italy 1
Notable Example
The Triumph of Peace 1
Defining Trait
Music, dancing, singing and acting within elaborate stage design 1
In the Other Atlases
Sources
1. Masque - Wikipedia
  • Introduction, sentence 1
    though it was developed earlier in Italy, in forms including the intermedio
  • Introduction, sentence 2
    A masque involved music, dancing, singing and acting, within an elaborate stage design
  • Development section
    The Triumph of Peace, put on with a large amount of parliament-raised money by Charles I
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