Le père humilié: Drame en quatre actes

Set against the luminous backdrop of Rome in the spring of 1869, the drama opens on the night of Saint Peter’s feast, a day that also marks Napoleon’s death. In the opulent gardens of Villa Wronsky, aristocrats and diplomats mingle beneath a sky tinged with twilight, their conversations tinged with intrigue and lingering melancholy. Among them, the enigmatic Prince Wronsky, the regal Count Coufonte, and the mysterious Franciscan create a tableau of power and secrecy, while the audience is drawn into the electric atmosphere of a city on the cusp of change.

At the heart of the scene is the tender exchange between Pensée, a young woman haunted by a fragile sense of sight, and her devoted mother, Sichel. Their dialogue weaves poetry and philosophy, exploring how perception can exist beyond the physical eye and hinting at deeper mysteries that will shape their fates. The opening act balances lyrical introspection with the undercurrents of political and personal drama, inviting listeners to linger in a world where love, art, and ambition intersect.