
A mischievous baritone, fresh from his debut in the provincial theatre of Chieti, finds himself thrust into the chaotic world of 1840s Italy. With a scarlet scarf around his neck and a makeshift sword at his side, he attempts a daring crossing of the Napolitan border, only to be stopped by stern officials and an unforgiving bureaucracy.
The narrative blends sharp humor with vivid snapshots of a nation on the brink of revolution. From cramped inns in the Marche to tense encounters with aristocratic patrons, the singer’s earnest pleas and flamboyant self‑importance expose the absurdities of a society tangled in politics, war, and social pretensions. His desperate attempts to secure a passage reveal both the fragility of personal ambition and the larger struggle for Italian freedom.
Through witty dialogue and colorful description, the story captures the restless spirit of a restless era, inviting listeners to follow a charismatic yet hapless artist as he navigates danger, bureaucracy, and his own inflated ego—always with a smile and a tune at the ready.
Language
it
Duration
~3 hours (175K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Carlo Traverso, Paganelli and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by Biblioteca Nazionale Braidense - Milano)
Release date
2005-10-27
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Subjects

1824–1893
Best known as the librettist behind Verdi’s Aida, this lively Italian writer moved easily between journalism, poetry, fiction, and the stage. His career spanned the worlds of opera and satire, leaving behind work that was both literary and theatrical.
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