Masque

The masque was a form of festive courtly entertainment which flourished in 16th and early 17th century Europe, though it was developed earlier in Italy. (A public version of the masque was the pageant.) Masque involved music and dancing, singing and acting, within an elaborate stage design, in which the architectural framing and costumes might be designed by a renowned architect, to present a deferential allegory flattering to the patron. Sometimes the masquers were courtiers: the Queen's ladies performed the masque of Florimène at the court of Charles I in 1642. Othertimes, professionals were joined by amateurs in a final dance. In the tradition of masque, Louis XIV danced in ballets at Versailles with music by Lully.

External links

• "The Elizabethan origins of the masque"
• Cambridge History of English and American Literature: Popularity of the Masque in the age of Elizabeth
• Cambridge History of English and American Literature: The Masque in Spenser
• Florimène, 1635: the next-to-last masque of the court of Charles I
• "The Masque at Ashby": John Marston's only extant masque, written for the Dowager Countess of Derby's 1607 visit to Ashby-de-la-Zouche, recreated by students