Deciphering la drammatica

Abstract

Combining metrical structure with gesture and expressiveness, the nineteenth-century Italian actors drew a distinguished form of acting, to which they referred as la drammatica, that was based on a system of vocal modulation. La voce apposita was the predominant drammatica declamation symbol. It signalled an opening voice, or key-voice, which imposed grades and intonations on emotions. The drammatica included four dominant types of voce apposita. The leading actor/actress of a company as well as actor-manager (capocomico) portrayed his/her roles and effected his/her acting fellows’ work. When properly applied, the four types of voce apposita produced a spontaneous and attractive recitation. Firstly, the paper will explain how the author managed to decipher the neglected method of the drammatica; secondly, it will illustrate the application of la voce apposita as it emerges from the actors’ prompt-books.