The success of the Intermedi of La Pellegrina according to Giuseppe Pavoni

“On TUESDAY which was the 2nd of May the Serenissima Sposa was dressed in white Italian style, as was customary in the City of Florence: and on this day was presented that beautiful Comedy, recited by Sienese Comedians, the Intronati, called La Pellegrina. It really can be said that no one has ever seen a more magnificent and shining creation than this: not so much for the multitude of rich garments, but for the greatness of the intermedi, which are interposed there; who through artifice resemble more divine beings, than  humans. They will describe themselves with as much fidelity and brevity as they can. It was the Great Hall, where the Comedy was made golden with paintings and statues of wonderful relief. And around them were the degrees of hand to hand one over the other, where all the foreign Ladies were comfortably seated, much like his Highness. The Princes and Princesses were behind everyone at the head of the hall above a catafalque. In the middle of the hall stood the men all to sit on top of banks so arranged that the last ones could see the stage as well as the first ones.”

Giuseppe Pavoni, Diary described by Giuseppe Pauoni on the festivities celebrated in the solemn wedding of the most serenely married couple, Mr. Don Ferdinando Medici, & Mrs. Christine of Lorraine Grand Dukes of Tuscany. In which the tournament, the nautical battle, the comedy with the intermedi, and other festivities took place from day to day throughout the 15th of May 1589, in the printing house of Giouanni Rossi, Bologna 1589, 14.

“IL MARTEDI, che fu alli 2. di Maggio, la Serenissima Sposa era vestita di bianco all’Italiana, ma secondo l’uso della Città di Fiorenza; et in questo giorno si fece quella bellissima Comedia, recitata da Comici Senesi, detti gli Intronati, chiamata la Pellegrina: la quale veramente si può dire, che mai á ricordo d’huomo si è visto la più magnifica, et risplendente di questa : non tanto per una moltitudine di tanti richissimi vestimenti, quanto per la grandezza de gli Intermedij, che vi sono interposti; l’artificio de’ quali hanno simiglianza più del divino, che dell’humano: i quali si descriveranno con quella più fedeltà, et brevità che si potrà.
Era la gran Sala, ove si fece la Comedia tutta messa à oro con pitture, et statue di rilievo stupendissime. Et all’intorno vi erano li gradi di mano in mano l’uno sopra l’altro, ove commodamente erano assise tutte le Dame forestiere, come del stato di sua A. Sereniss.
Li Principi et Principesse erano dietro à tutti in capo della Sala sopra un catafalco.
Nel mezo della Sala vi stava gli huomini tutti à sedere sopra à banche accomodate in modo, che tanto vedeva gli ultimi, come li primi.”

Frontispiece of Diario descritto da Giuseppe Pauoni […], Bologna 1589. Florence, Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale, Rari 22.B.8.7.