Caterina Biancolelli (1665–1716) was an Italian actress in the ''

commedia dell'arte (; ; ) was an early form of professional theatre, originating from Italian theatre, that was popular throughout Europe between the 16th and 18th centuries. It was formerly called Italian comedy in English and is also known as , , and . Charact ...

'' style of theater. She was one of the earliest actresses to play the role of Colombina, and one of the most famous. Biancolelli was the daughter of actors Domenico Biancolelli (1636-1688), who was famous for playing Harlequin, and Orsola Cortesi (1637-1718), who played an innamorata named Eularia. Her grandmother was the actress Isabella Franchini Biancolelli, who had also played Colombina. Caterina Biancolelli and her family were members of the Comédie-Italienne troupe ''Ancienne Troupe de la Comedia Italienne'', which performed in France. Caterina Biancolelli began playing Colombina in her family's troupe in 1683. In that same year, she and the rest of the troupe received positive reviews from Donneau de Visé in the journal '' Le mercure galant''. In 1695, she played Arlecchina, a female version of Harlequin, in ''Le Retour de la foire de Bezons'' by

Evaristo Gherardi Evaristo Gherardi (born 11 Novembre 1663 in Prato, Tuscany; assassinated 31 August 1700 in Paris), known in France as Évariste Gherardi, was an Italian actor and playwright, who arrived in France at the beginning of the 1670s. The son of two ac ...

. Along with acting, she was known for her singing, dancing, and musical talents. Her acting career ended when Italian theater in Paris was closed in 1697 and she refused to join the French theater.

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