The word intermezzo comes from the Latin intermedius - it means the intermediate, the one that is in the middle of something. The Italians borrowed this term to give the name to theatrical performances.
What is intermezzo?
Intermezzo is a short comedy performance that is usually played between theatrical acts or opera paintings. Such representations can be both independent plays and a continuation of the current story.
If we talk about opera, here intermezzo is an inserted opera or a contrasting scene in the middle of the action. Usually it is performed to show the viewer a temporary gap or to fill in a pause that occurs when the scenery changes. Intermezzo can be vocal, instrumental or vocal-instrumental.
For the first time such representations appeared during the Renaissance. Already in the second half of the 17th century, these small comic sketches began to claim a central place in opera and theater.
At the beginning of the 18th century, intermezzos were completely excluded from the theater. From this period they began to form as an independent genre. The most popular production was “Servant Madame” by Giovanni Pergolesi. This is a classic example of intermezzo, from which everyone took an example.
Breaks
However, not only in the theater there are such breaks. “Intermediate” is the main meaning of the word intermezzo. This term simply took root at the time in the theater, accurately and elegantly describing what is happening on the stage during the break. But it can be used in a completely different way.
For example, Mikhail Kotsyubinsky wrote in 1908 the autobiographical short story Intermezzo. In the work, the author spoke about an old thinker, in whose life a real crisis came.
The lyrical hero of the short story goes to rest in Kononovka, where he meets an ordinary rural worker. A conversation with him helps the master of intellectual labor to take a fresh look at the world. He begins to reflect on his place in this society and is determined not to give up. This vacation was a break in the activities of the master, a kind of intermezzo in his biography.
Therefore, we can say that this is a small finished episode, and it does not matter what sphere of life it is in.