Comédie-Italienne or
Théâtre-Italien are French names which have been used to refer to Italian-language theatre and opera when performed in France. The earliest recorded visits by Italian players were
commedia dell'arte companies employed by the French court under the Italian-born queens
Catherine de Medici and
Marie de Medici. The first official use of the name Comédie-Italienne was in 1680, when it was given to the commedia dell'arte troupe at the
Hôtel de Bourgogne in Paris, to distinguish it from the French troupe, the
Comédie-Française, which was founded that year, and just as the name Théâtre-Français was commonly applied to the latter, Théâtre-Italien was used for the Italians. Over time French phrases, songs, whole scenes, and eventually entire plays were incorporated into the Comédie-Italienne's performances. By 1762 the company was merged with the
Opéra-Comique, but the names Comédie-Italienne and Théâtre-Italien continued to be used, even though the repertory soon became almost exclusively French
opéra-comique. The names were dropped completely in 1801, when the company was merged with the
Théâtre Feydeau. From 1801 to 1878, Théâtre-Italien was used for a succession of Parisian opera companies performing Italian opera in Italian, and in 1980 the name Comédie-Italienne was revived in the
Montparnasse district of Paris by a theatre presenting Italian commedia dell'arte plays in French translation.
