La prigione; Acqua sul fuoco

In a sun‑lit September afternoon at the turn of the nineteenth century, the grand salon of the Della Lizza palace in Siena comes alive with glittering decor and a chorus of aristocratic voices. Golden‑framed windows overlook a festive street, while portraits of powdered ancestors preside over a gathering of marshals, countesses, and eager young heirs. The stage is set for a lively soirée where chocolate, witty repartee, and the rustle of silk dominate the air. Amid the laughter, the household’s matriarch Luisa strives to keep the evening’s decorum intact.

The guests soon reveal a web of playful intrigues: Roberto flirts with the daring Selvaggia, while a bemused Matteo complains about poetry and propriety, and the flamboyant Madame George declares herself proudly profane. Tensions rise as old rivalries surface and younger hearts—Gaia and her suitor Piero—exchange secret glances across the polished porcelain. Against this backdrop of champagne and confectionery, the characters’ masked ambitions hint at deeper conflicts that will test loyalty, love, and the fragile veneer of noble honor.