ISABELLA ANDREINI (1574)

She was a celebrated leading lady of the Compagnia dei Gelosi, most famous of the early commedia dell`arte companies.


In 1578 Flaminio Scala, a theatrical manager and scenario writer, engaged Isabella Canali to play female lovers in his company. There she met Francesco Andreini and married him the same year. They helped form the Gelosi troupe, with which she toured Italy and France until her death. A brilliant and beautiful woman, she was the subject of adoring verse by both French and Italian poets. At a Roman festival, given by her admirer Cardinal Cinzio Aldobrandini, her portrait was hung, crowned with laurels, between those of Tasso and Plutarch. Isabella was herself a minor poet, and author of a pastoral play, Mirtilla; a book of songs, sonnets, letters, and other verse was published after her death by her husband and Scala. Her dead prompted was the inspiration of munerous elegies. Her son Giovambattista was a commedia dell`arte actor and prolific author.