I tre tiranni Commedie del Cinquecento

A playful chorus of schemes opens the stage, as Mercury descends from the heavens to urge the audience to banish the endless grievances of philosophers and poets. In a bustling Italian court, the aging lord Girifalco courts the beautiful Lucia, only to find himself outwitted by the scheming parasites Listagiro and Pilastrino, who revel in his humiliation. Meanwhile, the noble Crisaulo is drawn into a web of false promises spun by a cunning roffiana and the eager young soldier Filocrate, whose own affection for Lucia threatens to drive him to madness.

The tangled relationships promise a lively parade of mistaken identities, witty repartees, and unexpected reversals, as each character strives to outmaneuver the others while the gods look on. The first act sets the scene for a spirited contest of love and ambition, where loyalties shift as quickly as the improvisations of the chorus. Listeners will be drawn into the bustling intrigue, anticipating how the comic twists will untangle—or further entangle—the hearts of Girifalco, Lucia, Crisaulo, and their mischievous companions.