Francesco or François Bigottini (c.1717, Rome - after 1794, probably
in Paris) was an Italian actor, playwright, set designer and grip
active in Italy, the Netherlands, France, Switzerland and Spain.In his
Mémoires, Carlo Goldoni says he first met Bigottini in Rimini in
1741, where the latter was playing harlequin rôles. From the 1750s
Bigottini appeared in the Netherlands, Austrian Netherlands and
France, playing in Rotterdam in 1754, Brussels in 1756, and in Paris
at the Théâtre-Italien in 1757. Gueullette wrote "On Wednesday 26
April [1757], an Italian harlequin called Bigottini made his début in
"Arlequin Scanderberg" and "Arlequin Hulla"; in the former, he played
a rôle as a master of music very well, and played very badly in
"Arlequin Hulla"; he was sent packing shortly afterwards". Bigottini
left for the French provinces and acted in Marseille in 1760, where he
put on his own play Coraline Protée (1761). He was in Geneva from
1766 to 1768, where he printed his play L'Origine d'Arlequin, avec sa
naissance (1766). The Mercure de France wrote that he was the "first
inventor of the machines used in the metamorphosis in the Fée Urgelle
in Geneva" (that is, the transformation of a cottage into a splendid
castle).After playing in Lyon, Bigottini travelled towards Spain and
spent three years playing at the Italian opera-house in Cádiz, from
which he negotiated to be taken on at Brussels Théâtre de la
Monnaie. In one of his letters, he wrote to that theatre's heads,
Vitzthumb and Compain "I have nearly all my sets and machines for my
plays, and I would thus also furnish you with all that I have, sets,
machines, ropes, pulleys, scrap and all the other "diableries", if you
would be furnish me with the wood". They finally took him on as a
harlequin for the 1774-1775 season, with his contract stipulating that
he would "lend [the theatre] all his machines and sets".
in Paris) was an Italian actor, playwright, set designer and grip
active in Italy, the Netherlands, France, Switzerland and Spain.In his
Mémoires, Carlo Goldoni says he first met Bigottini in Rimini in
1741, where the latter was playing harlequin rôles. From the 1750s
Bigottini appeared in the Netherlands, Austrian Netherlands and
France, playing in Rotterdam in 1754, Brussels in 1756, and in Paris
at the Théâtre-Italien in 1757. Gueullette wrote "On Wednesday 26
April [1757], an Italian harlequin called Bigottini made his début in
"Arlequin Scanderberg" and "Arlequin Hulla"; in the former, he played
a rôle as a master of music very well, and played very badly in
"Arlequin Hulla"; he was sent packing shortly afterwards". Bigottini
left for the French provinces and acted in Marseille in 1760, where he
put on his own play Coraline Protée (1761). He was in Geneva from
1766 to 1768, where he printed his play L'Origine d'Arlequin, avec sa
naissance (1766). The Mercure de France wrote that he was the "first
inventor of the machines used in the metamorphosis in the Fée Urgelle
in Geneva" (that is, the transformation of a cottage into a splendid
castle).After playing in Lyon, Bigottini travelled towards Spain and
spent three years playing at the Italian opera-house in Cádiz, from
which he negotiated to be taken on at Brussels Théâtre de la
Monnaie. In one of his letters, he wrote to that theatre's heads,
Vitzthumb and Compain "I have nearly all my sets and machines for my
plays, and I would thus also furnish you with all that I have, sets,
machines, ropes, pulleys, scrap and all the other "diableries", if you
would be furnish me with the wood". They finally took him on as a
harlequin for the 1774-1775 season, with his contract stipulating that
he would "lend [the theatre] all his machines and sets".
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