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“Il trittico (Il tabarro, Suor Angelica, Gianni Schicchi)” by Giacomo Puccini libretto (English)
| Contents: The Cloak; Sister Angelica; Gianni Schicchi |
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Characters Gianni Schicchi (age 50) — baritone Lauretta, his daughter (age 21) — soprano Zita, cousin of Buoso Donati (age 60) — contralto Rinuccio, Zita's nephew (age 24) — tenor Gherardo, Buoso's nephew (age 40) — tenor Nella, Gherardo's wife (age 34) — soprano Gherardino, their son (age 7) — soprano or treble Betto di Signa, Buoso's brother-in-law, poor and shabbily dressed, of uncertain age — bass Simone, cousin of Buoso (age 70) — bass Marco, Simone's son (age 45) — baritone La Ciesca, Marco's wife (age 38) — mezzo-soprano Maestro Spinelloccio, a doctor — bass Ser Amantio di Nicolao, a notary — baritone Pinellino, a cobbler — bass Guccio, a dyer — bass Place: Florence Time: 1299. |
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The action takes place in Florence in 1299. The scene is Buoso Donati’s bedroom. The main door is on the left; beyond it are the landing and the staircase. Glass doors lead out on to a terrace with a wooden railing which runs round the house. On the left, through a large window at the back, Arnolfo’s tower can be seen. At the right hand wall is a small stairway leading to a gallery with a cabinet and a doorway. Under the stairs is another small door. The bed is at the back, on the right; there are four candlesticks round it, each with a lit candle. In front of the bed is a candelabra with three unlit candles. The drapes round the bed are slightly open and behind them can be seen a red blanket covering a body. Buoso’s relatives are on their knees praying, round the bed. Gherardino is sitting on the floor beside the wall on the left. He has his back turned to the relatives and is amusing himself playing marbles. It is nine o’clock in the morning and sunlight merges with the candlelight. Buoso’s relatives are muttering a prayer, while Marco, old Zita and Ciesca are wailing with grief. |
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ZITA Poor Buoso! SIMONE Poor cousin! RINUCCIO Poor uncle! CIESCA, MARCO Oh, Buoso! NELLA, GHERARDO Buoso! BETTO Oh brother-in-law! Oh bro- (Gherardino pushes a chair over, and the relatives, on the pretext of hushing him, direct their displeasure at Betto.) ALL Sh! GHERARDO I’ll be weeping for days and days! (to Gherardino who is tugging at his clothes and whispering something in his ear) Sh! NELLA Days? For months! (to Gherardino) Sh! |
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CIESCA Months? For years and years! ZITA I’ll be mourning you all my life! CIESCA, MARCO Poor Buoso! ZITA (pushing Gherardino away) Gherardo, take him away! (Gherardo gets up, grabs his son by the arm and jerks him out of the door on the left.) ZITA, CIESCA, RINUCCIO, MARCO, SIMONE Oh, Buoso, Buoso, all our lives we shall be mourning your passing. CIESCA We’ll be mourning... RINUCCIO We’ll be mourning. ZITA Buoso, Buoso! CIESCA ...all our lives. (They all start to pray again, except Betto and Nella who are whispering to each other.) |
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NELLA What? Really? BETTO That’s what they say in Signa. RINUCCIO (to Nella) What do they say In Signa? NELLA They say that... (She whispers to Rinuccio.) RINUCCIO What?! BETTO That’s what they say in Signa. CIESCA (to Betto) What do they say in Signa? BETTO They say that... (He whispers to Ciesca.) CIESCA No!? Marco, do you hear what they say in Signa? They say that... (She whispers to Marco.) |
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MARCO Eh?! ZITA Well, may we all know... BETTO That's what they say In Slgna. ZITA ...what the devil do they say In Slgna? BETTO There are rumours, bits of gossip. They were saying yesterday evening round at Cisti the baker's: “If Buoso pops off, it will be manna for the monks. They'll be saying: Tummy, it's Christmas!” And someone else said: “Yes, yes, yes, in his will he's left everything to a monastery.” SIMONE What?! Who says so? BETTO That's what they say in Signa. SIMONE Is that what they say in Signa??? |
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THE OTHERS That’s what they say in Signa. (The relatives stay on their knees, but with no thought of praying now. They look at each other, shocked.) GHERARDO Oh Simone? CIESCA Simone? ZITA What do you say - you’re the oldest. MARCO You’ve also been mayor of Fucecchio. ZITA What do you think? MARCO What do you think? SIMONE (after pondering for a moment) If the will is in the hands of a lawyer, who knows? Perhaps we’ll be unlucky! But if he has left it in this room, unlucky monks, but hope for us. |
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THE OTHERS Unlucky monks, but hope for US. (They all spring up suddenly.) RINUCCIO (to himself) Oh Lauretta, my love, let’s put our hopes on my uncle’s will! (A frantic hunt beings. Betto catches sight of a silver salver with a silver knife and pair of scissors on top. He stretches out his hand cautiously to snatch the things on the salver, but a false alarm from Simone interrupts him.) SIMONE Ah! (They all turn round; Betto pretends to be looking elsewhere. Simone looks more closely at a document.) No. It’s not it. (The search beings again; Betto snatches the scissors and knife, slips them into his sleeve and drops them into his pocket. Now he tries to steal the salver; he stretches out his hand, but a false alarm from Zita makes everyone turn round.) ZITA Ah! (poking her head into the cabinet) |
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No. it isn’t there. (The search beings again, more frenzied than before. The exasperated relatives no longer know where to look; they fling everything in the room into the air; they rummage through drawers, cupboards, cabinets and under the bed. Documents and papers fly through the air. Rinuccio has gone up to the cabinet at the top of the stairs and manages to open it.) MARCO Where can it be? SIMONE, BETTO NO, it isn’t there! RINUCCIO We’re saved! We’re saved! Buoso Donati’s will. (They all run up with arms outstretched to seize the will, but Rinuccio keeps the roll of parchment in his left hand and holds out his right hand to fend off the onslaught of the relatives.) Aunt, I’m the one who found it! in return, tell me: if uncle, poor uncle, has left me well-off, if we’ll all be rich soon, on a happy day like this, would you consent to my marrying |
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Lauretta, Sohioohi’s daughter? My inheritance will seem sweeter if I oan marry her on May Day. BETTO Oh yes! GHERARDO Oh yes! CIESCA, MARCO, SIMONE Oh yes! NELLA, GHERARDO There’s time to disouss it later. RINUCCIO I oould marry her on May Day. GHERARDO, MARCO Quick, give us the will! CIESCA Can’t you see that we’re all on edge? RINUCCIO (giving the will to Zita) Aunt! ZITA If everything goes as we hope it will, marry who you like, even the devil’s daughter! |
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RINUCCIO Oh, uncle loved me very much, he’s sure to have left me with my pockets full! (to Gherardino, who has come back into the room) Run over to Gianni Schicchi’s and tell him to come here with Lauretta: Buoso’s nephew Rinuccio is expecting him. (giving him two coins) Here are two popolinos: buy yourself some sweets. (Gherardino runs off. Zita goes to the table and sits down at it: the relatives follow and surround her. Zita looks for the scissors to cut the ribbons of the scroll; not finding them, she looks suspiciously round the relatives. She breaks the ribbon with her hands, disclosing a second parchment which is wrapped around the will.) ZITA (reading) “To my cousins Zita and Simone.” SIMONE Poor Buoso! ZITA Poor Buoso! (In a rush of anticipated gratitude, Simone lights the three unlit candles.) |
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SIMONE YOU must have all the candles! They must burn right down to the foot. Yes, enjoy them, enjoy them! Poor Buoso! THE RELATIVES Poor Buoso! If only he’s left me this house! And the mills at Signa! And the mule! If only he’s left me... ...the mule and the mills at Signa! The mills at Signa! The mule, the mi - ZITA Quiet! It’s open. (Zita is in the middle, holding the will; the others cluster behind her. All their faces are absorbed in reading. Suddenly their faces begin to cloud over, gradually turning to looks of tragedy. Zita slumps into a chair, dropping the will. Simone puts out the three candles, closes the drapes round the bed and then puts out the rest of the candles. The other relatives each find a chair or a chest to fall on to, and they sit in silence, with glazed eyes.) |
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SIMONE SO it was true! We shall see the monks grow fat at the Donati’s expense! CIESCA All those lovely florins he saved up finishing in the monks’ habits! MARCO Robbing all of us of a living, and letting the monks wallow in plenty. BETTO I shall have to limit my drinking at Signa, while the monks drink the fruit of the vine. ZITA, CIESCA, NELLA They’ll have to keep widening their robes, we’ll burst with rage and they’ll burst with goodies! RINUCCIO My happiness will be stolen by the “Holy Works of Santa Reparata”! GHERARDO Open the monastery pantries! Be happy, brothers, and sharpen your teeth! |
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ZITA Here you are - the first fruits from the market! Lick your lips! Here, poor brothers; plump thrushes! SIMONE Meaty quails! NELLA Larks! GHERARDO Ortolans! ZITA Warblers! SIMONE Meaty quails! Fatted geese! ZITA Ortolans! BETTO And cockerels! CIESCA, NELLA, RINUCCIO, GHERARDO Cockerels? ALL The youngest cockerels! |
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RINUCCIO The tenderest young cockerels! ZITA, MARCO And with your rosy, well-fed faces, laugh at us: ha! ha! ha! ha! SIMONE, BETTO And with your rosy, well-fed faces, your cheeks gushing with health: CIESCA, NELLA, GHERARDO, then with RINUCCIO Larks and cockerels!! There’s a Donati! ALL Ha! ha! ha! There he is! There is a Donati! Ha! ha! ha! There he is! And he wanted the inheritance! Have a laugh, brothers, have a laugh at the Donati’s expense! Ha! ha! ha! ha! ZITA Who would ever have said that when Buoso went to the grave we would be weeping in earnest! (Slowly, they each look again for a seat to collapse on to.) ZITA, CIESCA, NELLA And is there no way... |
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SIMONE, BETTO ..to change it? ZITA, MARCO ...to get round it? GHERARDO ...soften it? MARCO Oh Simone, Simone? ZITA You are the oldest. MARCO And you’ve also been mayor of Fucecchio. (Simone shakes his head to show that there is no solution.) RINUCCIO There is only one person who can advise us, perhaps save us. THE OTHERS Who? RINUCCIO Gianni Schicchi. THE OTHERS Oh! |
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ZITA AS for Gianni Schicchi and his daughter, I don’t want to hear them mentioned again. Do you understand? GHERARDINO (running in) He’s coming now. THE RELATIVES Who? GHERARDINO Gianni Schicchi! ZITA Who called for him? RINUCCIO I sent for him because I was hoping - THE RELATIVES This is a fine time to have Gianni Sehioohi under our feet! etc. ZITA Oh, watch out! If he comes up I’ll fling him down the stairs! GHERARDO (to Gherardino, spanking him) You should do only what your father tells you; |
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take that, and that! (He pushes him into the room at the top of the stairs.) SIMONE Imagine a Donati marrying the daughter of a peasant! ZITA Someone come up to Florence from the country! imagine being related to newcomers! I will not have him here! I won’t! RINUCCIO You’re mistaken. He’s crafty, astute. He knows everything about the traps in the law and the codex. A wag! A Joker! is there some new, rare practical joke going round? it’s Gianni Schicchi who set it up. Shrewd eyes light up his funny face with laughter, and his huge nose throws a shadow Just like an old ruined tower. He’s from the country? Well, so what? Enough of this petty, small-minded prejudice! |
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Florence is like a tree in flower, whose trunk and branches are found in the piazza dei Signori, but its roots bring new strength in from the fresh fruitful valleys. Florence grows and solid palaces and slim towers rise up to the stars! Before the Arno runs to the sea, singing, it kisses the piazza Santa Croce, and its song is so sweet and resonant that the streams chorus in to join it. In this way artists and scientists have joined to make Florence richer and more splendid. And from the castles of Val d’Elsa welcome Arnolfo, come down to build his beautiful tower. And Giotto came from leafy Mugel, and Medici, the valiant merchant. Enough of narrow-minded malice and spite! Long live the newcomers and Gianni Schicchi! (A knock is heard at the door.) It’s him! (He opens the door; Gianni Schicchi comes in, followed by Lauretta.) GIANNI SCHICCHI (stopping at the threshold and looking at the line of grieving relatives in amazement.) |
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What expressions of dismay and sorrow!... RINUCCIO Lauretta! LAURETTA Rino! GIANNI SCHICCHI ...Buoso Donati must have got better! RINUCCIO My darling! LAURETTA Why so pale? RINUCCIO Alas, my uncle... LAURETTA Well, tell me. RINUCCIO My love, my love, it’s so sad. LAURETTA So sad. (Slowly, Schicchi comes forward into the room and sees the candlesticks round the bed.) |
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SCHICCHI (aside) Oh, he’s gone? Why are they crying? They’re better than strolling players for acting! (aloud) Oh, I can understand your grief at such a loss. I’m deeply sorry. GHERARDO Oh, the loss really has been great! SCHICCHI Oh, these things... But, what can you do? In this world you lose one thing, you find another, you lose Buoso, but there’s the inheritance! ZITA Exactly! For the monks! SCHICCHI Ah! Disinherited? ZITA Disinherited! Yes, yes, disinherited! |
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And that’s why I’m saying; take your daughter and go. I’m not giving my nephew to a girl who has no dowry. RINUCCIO Oh aunt, I love her, I love her! LAURETTA Daddy, daddy, I want him! SCHICCHI Daughter, have some pride! ZITA I don’t care in the slightest! SCHICCHI Well done, old woman! Well done! For a dowry you’d sacrifice my daughter and your nephew! Well done, old woman! Well done! Old skinflint! Miser! Mean, tight-fisted, stingy! (leading Lauretta off to the left) Oh, come on, come on! Have some pride! Come on, come on! LAURETTA Rinuccio, don’t leave me! You promised me in the moonlight at Fiesole! |
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YOU promised me when you kissed me! NO, don’t leave me! NO, don’t leave me, Rinuccio, no! RINUCCIO My Lauretta, remember, you swore your love to me! And that evening Fiesole was like a flower. Remember, remember, my love, my love. ZITA And he insults me! Without a dowry I won’t, I won’t give my nephew, I won’t give my nephew! Rinuccio, come on. Let them go. YOU would be asking for disaster! Come on, come on. LAURETTA, RINUCCIO Farewell to our bright hopes, every last ray has died, we won’t be able to marry on May Day. SCHICCHI Oh, come on, Lauretta, come on, dry your eyes, your new relations would be misers. Have some pride! Oh, come on, come on! |
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ZITA Well come on! Rinucclo, come on. Well come on, come on. Let them go. Off, on your way! THE RELATIVES Lovers’ tlffs as well! LAURETTA Daddy, I want him! RINUCCIO Oh aunt, I want her! ZITA And I won’t have it! SCHICCHI Have some pride! THE RELATIVES A fine time! Think of the will! SCHICCHI Old skinflint, stingy, mean... THE RELATIVES Think of the will! |
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ZITA Well come on, come on! SCHICCHI ...tight-fisted old woman, away! LAURETTA, RINUCCIO My love! SCHICCHI Go away! Oh, come on, come on! ZITA NO, no, I won’t have it! Get out! THE RELATIVES Think of the will! LAURETTA, RINUCCIO My love! ZITA NO, no, no! SCHICCHI Come on, come on, come on! RINUCCIO (stopping Schicchi) Mister Giovanni, stay for a moment. (to Zita) Instead of shouting give him the will. |
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(to Schicchi) Try to save us! You can’t be lost for some marvellous idea, a discovery, a solution, a way out, a resource! SCHICCHI For these people? No, no, no! LAURETTA (kneeling in front of her father) Oh, dear daddy, I like him, he’s handsome, he’s handsome; I want to go to Porta Rossa to buy the ring! Yes, yes, I want to go there! And if it’s useless to love him, I’ll go to the Ponte Vecchio and throw myself into the Arno! I am pining, I am tortured! Oh God, I could die! Daddy, have pity, have pity! Daddy, have pity, have pity! SCHICCHI Give me the will! (Rinuccio gives the will to Gianni who then walks up and down, totally absorbed in reading it. The relatives start off following him |
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with their eyes, but end up walking up and down behind him. Schicchi stops suddenly.) NO way out! LAURETTA, RINUCCIO Farewell to our bright hopes, our sweet mirage; we won’t be able to marry on May Day! (Gianni Schicchi begins pacing up and down again, reading through the will more carefully.) SCHICCHI (stopping suddenly) NO way out! LAURETTA, RINUCCIO Farewell to our bright hopes, every last ray has died, SCHICCHI However!... LAURETTA, RINUCCIO Perhaps we shall be able to marry on May Day! (The relatives surround Schicchi, watching him anxiously. Schicchi stands still in the middle of the room, making measured gestures and gazing in front of him. Gradually a triumphant smile breaks out on his face.) |
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THE RELATIVES Well? SCHICCHI Laurettina, go out on to the terrace; take some nice crumbs for the little bird. (stopping Rinuccio who is following Lauretta) On your own. (As soon as Lauretta has left, Schicchi turns back to the relatives.) No-one knows that Buoso has breathed his last? THE RELATIVES No-one. SCHICCHI Good! No-one must know yet. THE RELATIVES No-one will find out. SCHICCHI And the servants? ZITA Since he grew worse no-one has been in the room. SCHICCHI (to Marco and Gherardo) You two take the corpse and the candlesticks |
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Women, make up the bed! ZITA, CIESCA, NELLA But - SCHICCHI Hush, do as I say! (Marco and Gherardo disappear behind the drapes round the bed, then they come back out with a red-coloured bundle which they carry into the room on the right. Simone, Betto and Rinuccio take away the candlesticks while the women begin to make the bed up again. A knock is heard at the door: everyone freezes.) THE RELATIVES Ah! SCHICCHI Who can it be? Ah! ZITA Master Spinelloccio, the doctor! SCHICCHI Don’t let him in. Tell him something, that Buoso is better and that he’s resting. (The relatives crowd together at the door, barely letting it open. Schicchi hides behind |
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the drapes on the bed while Betto closes the shutters.) MASTER SPINELLOCCIO May I? THE RELATIVES Good morning, Master Spinelloccio. ZITA, MARCO, BETTO He’s better! CIESCA, RINUCCIO, GHERARDO He’s better! NELLA He’s better! SIMONE He’s better! MASTER SPINELLOCCIO Has there been some improvement? ZITA, SIMONE, BETTO Yes indeed! CIESCA, NELLA, MARCO Yes indeed! MASTER SPINELLOCCIO What strength science has risen to! Well, let’s have a look, let’s have a look. |
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(Spinelloccio tries to come in but the relatives stop him.) ZITA, MARCO No! He’s resting. MASTER SPINELLOCCIO But I - CIESCA, SIMONE He’s resting. SCHICCHI (imitating Buoso’s voice) No, no, Master Spinelloccio. (At Schicchi’s impersonation the relatives give a jolt, then they realise that it is Schicchi imitating Buoso’s voice.) MASTER SPINELLOCCIO Oh! Master Buoso! SCHICCHI I’d so like to rest, could you come back this evening? I’m almost asleep. MASTER SPINELLOCCIO Yes, Master Buoso. But you’re better? SCHICCHI I’ve come back to life. Till this evening. |
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MASTER SPINELLOCCIO Till this evening. (to the relatives) Even from his voice I can tell he’s better. Ah! No patient has ever died on me. I don’t make any claims, the credit all belongs to the school of Bologna. THE RELATIVES Till this evening, doctor. MASTER SPINELLOCCIO Until this evening. (The relatives close the door and turn round to face Schicchi who has come out of hiding. Betto opens the shutters again, letting the light in.) SCHICCHI Was my voice like his? THE RELATIVES Exactly the same! SCHICCHI Oh, victory! Victory! Don’t you understand? THE RELATIVES No! |
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SCHICCHI Oh, what blockheads! You run to the notary’s; “Master notary, quick! Come over to Buoso Donati’s. He’s grown much worse. He wants to make his will. Bring the papers along with you; quickly, master, or it will be too late!” And the notary arrives. He comes in; the room is half in darkness, in the bed the figure of Buoso can be made out. On his head is the night-cap, round his mouth, the handkerchief. Between cap and handkerchief is a nose which looks like Buoso’s but instead is mine, because in place of Buoso there am I! I, Schicchi, with another voice, another shape, pretending to be Buoso Donati, giving instructions and making a will. O, my people, this mad conception, springing from my imagination is enough to defy eternity! THE RELATIVES Schicchi! Schicchi! Schicchi! (Choked with emotion, the relatives surround Gianni Schicchi, kissing his hands and clothes.) |
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Schicchi! Schicchi! Schicchi! etc. ZITA (to Rinuccio) GO, run to the notary’s. RINUCCIO I’ll run to the notary’s. (He runs out.) THE RELATIVES Dear Gherardo, Marco, Zita, Ciesca, etc. SCHICCHI Oh, such emotion! THE RELATIVES Nella, Ciesoa, Schicchill Schicchill Sohioohil Sohioohil Gherardo, Maroo, Zita. Oh joyful day! A lovely joke on the monks! Sohioohil Sohioohil Sohioohil SCHICCHI Oh, suoh emotionl Oh, suoh emotionl (The relatives hug and kiss each other emotionally.) |
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THE RELATIVES Family affection iS lovely! Family affection is lovely! SIMONE Oh Gianni, let’s have a think now about how to divide things; the money in cash? THE RELATIVES In equal parts! SIMONE I’ll have the holdings at Fucecchio. ZITA I’ll have those at Figline. BETTO I’ll have those at Prato. GHERARDO We’ll take the properties at Empoli. MARCO I’ll have those at Quintole. BETTO I’ll have those at Prato. SIMONE And those at Fucecchio. |
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ZITA That would still leave the mule, this house and the mills at Signa. MARCO They’re the best things. SIMONE Ah, I understand, I understand. Because I’m the oldest and have been mayor of Fucecchio, you want to give them to me. I thank you. ZITA No, no, no, no! Just a moment! if you are old, that’s your worry! That’s your worry! THE RELATIVES Listen to him, listen to him, the mayor! He wants the best of the estate! The house, the mule, the mills at Signa should come to me! The mule, the mills, the house should come to me! The house, the mills should come to me! etc. SCHICCHI How lasting family affection is! Ha! ha! ha! ha! ha! ha! ha! ha! ha! ha! etc. |
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(A death knell is heard tolling. All the relatives are stunned into silence.) THE RELATIVES They’ve found out! They’ve found out that Buoso’s croaked! (Gherardo rushes out down the stairs.) SCHICCHI The game is up! LAURETTA (appearing from the terrace) Daddy, what should I do? The little bird doesn’t want any more crumbs. SCHICCHI Give him something to drink now! (Lauretta disappears back on to the terrace. Gherardo comes back, panting.) GHERARDO The Captain’s baptised Moor has had an accident. THE RELATIVES Rest in peace! SIMONE As for the house, the mule and the mills, |
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I suggest we leave them to Schicchi’s honesty and sense of justice, THE RELATIVES We’ll leave it up to Schicchi! SCHICCHI As you wish, Give me the things to bet dressed, Quickly, quickly! (From a chest, Zita, Nella and Ciesca take a handkerchief, a night-cap and a night-shirt belonging to Buoso and gradually take them over to Schicchi and dress him.) ZITA Here is the night-cap! (under her breath, to Schicchi) If you leave me the mule, this house and the mills at Signa, I’ll give you thirty florins, SCHICCHI Very well! (Zita goes off, rubbing her hands. Simone comes up nonchalantly to Schicchi.) SIMONE If you leave me the house, the mule and the mills, I’ll give you a hundred florins, SCHICCHI Very well! |
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BETTO (approaching Schicchi furtively) Gianni, if you leave me this house, the mule and the mills at Signa, I’ll gorge you with money! SCHICCHI Very well! (Nella consults privately with Gherardo, then she comes up to Schicchi.) NELLA Here’s the handkerchief! (under her breath) If you leave us the mule, the mills at Signa and this house, you’ll choke with florins! SCHICCHI Very well! (Ciesca whispers to Marco then comes up to Schicchi.) CIESCA And here is the night-shirt. (under her breath) if you leave us the mule, the mills at Signa and this house, you’ll have a thousand florins! SCHICCHI Very well! |
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(All the relatives rub their hands with satisfaction. Meanwhile Gianni Schicchi slips on the night-shirt. The three women stand round Schicchi, admiring him; Simone is at the window watching for the arrival of the notary. Gherardo clears the table where the notary will sit; Marco and Betto close the drapes round the bed and tidy up the room.) NELLA Get undressed, baby boy, we’re putting you to bed. And don’t get annoyed, oh no, if we change your shirt! The canary changes its feathers, the fox its fur, the spider spins its web anew, the dog finds another bed, the snake casts its skin. ZITA He’s lovely, wonderful! Who would not be fooled? Is it Gianni playing Buoso? Is it Buoso playing Gianni? Is the will nasty? A splendid night-shirt, a sleepy face, a forceful nose, a grieving voice, ah! CIESCA Hurr y up, baby boy, you have to go to bed. |
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if the game goes well, we’ll give you a sweet! The egg becomes the chicken, the flower becomes a fruit, the friars eat up everything, but as a monk grows poor, Ciesca grows rich, ah! NELLA And kind Gianni... ZITA ...changes his clothes... NELLA ...to help us! CIESCA He changes expression... ZITA ...his face and his nose... CIESCA ...to help us! NELLA He changes his voice... ZITA ...and the will... ALL THREE ...to help us! |
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SCHICCHI I’ll give you the help you deserve! THE WOMEN That’s lovely! SCHICCHI I’ll make you happy! THE WOMEN Exactly so! Oh Gianni, Gianni, our saviour! CIESCA, NELLA Oh Gianni Schicchi, our saviour! ZITA Oh Schicchi! CIESCA, NELLA Oh Schicchi! ZITA Oh Gianni Schicchi, our saviour! NELLA, GHERARDO is it exact? CIESCA, MARCO, SIMONE, BETTO Perfect! THE WOMEN Off to bed! |
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THE MEN Off to bed! THE WOMEN Off to bed! THE MEN Off to bed! (Schicchi stops them with a solemn gesture.) SCHICCHI A warning first. Oh ladies and gentlemen, be careful. Do you know the decree? “Whoever puts himself in place of another concerning wills and bequests, both he and his accomplices will have one hand chopped off and then be exiled.” Keep it well in mind! If we are caught: do you see Florence? Farewell, Florence, farewell, heavenly skies, I bid you adieu with this stump, and go wandering off like a Ghibelline! THE RELATIVES Farewell, Florence, farewell, heavenly skies, etc. |
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(There is a knock at the door. Gianni leaps into bed; the relatives hurry to settle him down; they pull the curtains, place a lit candle on the table where the notary will sit and finally open the door. Rinuccio, the notary and two witnesses, Pinellino and Guccio, come in.) RINUCCIO Here iS the notary. THE NOTARY, PINELLINO, GUCCIO Master Buoso, good morning. SCHICCHI Oh! Are you here? Thank you, Master Amantio. Oh Pinellino the shoemaker, thank you. Thank you, Guccio the dyer, it’s too kind, too kind of you to come and be witnesses for me. PINELLINO Poor Buoso! I’ve always made his shoes, and to see him in this state makes me cry. (The notary takes the papers and seals out of a box and puts them on the table; he sits down in the armchair while the two witnesses remain on their feet on either side of him.) |
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SCHICCHI I would like to have written the will in my own hand, but paralysis prevents me. That’s why I wanted a notary, serious and honest. THE NOTARY Oh, Master Buoso, thank you. Then you’re suffering from paralysis? (Schicchi tries to stretch out his hands, making them shake tremulously.) CIESCA, NELLA Poor Buoso! ZITA, SIMONE Poor Buoso! THE NOTARY Oh! poor man! Enough! The witnesses have seen it, the witnesses have seen it. We may begin. But - your relatives? SCHICCHI Let them stay. THE NOTARY Then I’ll begin. In the name of God, in the year of Our Lord Jesus Christ, since His healing incarnation the one thousand two hundred and ninety- ninth, on the first day of September, the eleventh indiction. I, Amantio di Nicolao, notary, citizen of Florence, at the request of Buoso Donati, write this will. |
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SCHICCHI Annulling, revoking and invalidating all previous wills. ZITA, CIESCA, NELLA What foresight! MARCO, SIMONE, BETTO What foresight! THE NOTARY One preliminary; tell me, your funeral, (may it be far off) do you want it splendid, ornate, expensive? SCHICCHI No, no, no, not expensive. No more than two florins should be spent. GHERARDO Oh, such modesty! MARCO Oh, such modesty! CIESCA, NELLA, RINUCCIO Poor uncle! ZITA What a soul! |
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BETTO What a heart! SIMONE It does him honour! SCHICCHI I leave to the minor order of brothers and to the Holy Works of Santa Reparata - (slightly anxious, the relatives stand up slowly) - five lire. SIMONE, BETTO Well done! ZITA, MARCO Well done! ZITA, MARCO, SIMONE, BETTO One must always be charitable. THE NOTARY Don’t you think that’s rather little? SCHICCHI When someone dies and leaves a large amount to religious orders and monasteries, it makes those who live on say: “That was stolen money.” |
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NELLA, RINUCCIO, GHERARDO What principles! CIESCA, MARCO, BETTO What a mind! ZITA, SIMONE What wisdom! THE NOTARY What clarity! SCHICCHI The money in cash I leave in equal shares to each of my relatives. CIESCA, NELLA, RINUCCIO Oh, thank you, uncle! ZITA Thank you, cousin! SIMONE, BETTO Thank you, brother-in-law! SCHICCHI To Simone I leave the property at Fucecchio. SIMONE Thank you! |
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SCHICCHI TO Zita the holdings at Figline. ZITA Thank you, thank you! SCHICCHI TO Betto the land at Prato. BETTO Thank you, brother-in-law! SCHICCHI TO Nella and Gherardo the property at Empoli. NELLA, GHERARDO Thank you, thank you. SCHICCHI To Ciesca and Marco the property at Quintole. THE RELATIVES Now we’re at the mule, the house and the mills. SCHICCHI I leave my mule, the one that cost three hundred florins, and which is the best mule in Tuscany, to my devoted friend Gianni Schicchi. THE RELATIVES What? What? What’s that? What’s that? |
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THE NOTARY He leaves the mule to his devoted friend Gianni Schicchi. THE RELATIVES But - SIMONE What do you expect Gianni Schicchi will want with that mule? SCHICCHI Keep calm, Simone. I know what Gianni Schicchi wants! THE RELATIVES Ah, the scoundrel, the scoundrel, the scoundrel! SCHICCHI I leave the house in Florence to my dear, devoted and affectionate friend Gianni Schicchi. (The relatives spring up in rage.) THE RELATIVES Ah, that’s enough, that’s enough! Damn that scoundrel Gianni Schicchi! We protest, we protest, etc. |
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SCHICCHI Farewell, Florence, farewell, heavenly skies... THE RELATIVES Ah! SCHICCHI ...I bid you goodbye. THE NOTARY The wishes of the man making his will should not be impeded. SCHICCHI Master Amantio, I make my bequests to whom I please. I have decided on my will and it shall be done. If they scream I’ll stay calm and sing to myself. GUCCIO Oh, what a man! PINELLINO What a man! SCHICCHI And the mills at Signa... THE RELATIVES The mills at Signa? |
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SCHICCHI The mills at Signa (farewell, Florence!) I leave to my dear (farewell, heavenly skies!) affectionate friend, Gianni Schicchi! THE RELATIVES Ah! SCHICCHI (And I bid you goodbye with this stump!) La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la. There, it’s done! Zita, give twenty florins from your purse to the witnesses, and a hundred to the good notary. THE NOTARY Thank you, Master Buoso. (The notary goes towards the bed, but Schicchi stops him, holding out a trembling hand.) SCHICCHI No farewells. On your way, on your way. Let’s be brave. THE NOTARY (as he leaves) Oh, what a man, what a man! PINELLINO, GUCCIO (leaving) What a man, what a loss! |
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THE NOTARY What a shame! THE NOTARY, PINELLINO, GUCCIO What a loss! GUCCIO (to the relatives) Courage! PINELLINO Courage! (As soon as the notary and witnesses have left, Rinuccio runs out on to the terrace; the relatives hurl themselves against Schicchi who is standing up on the bed, trying to defend himself.) ZITA Thief! THE RELATIVES Thief! Thief, thief, scoundrel, traitor, blackguard, villain, thief, thief, scoundrel, blackguard, traitor! SCHICCHI Skinflints! (Schicchi jumps down from the bed and hits out at the relatives with Buoso's stick.) I’ll run you out |
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of my house! it’s my house! (The relatives run here and there, looting wildly.) THE RELATIVES Pillage! Pillage! Pillage! GHERARDO, SIMONE, BETTO Pillage! Pillage! ZITA Plunder! Plunder! MARCO The silver! SCHICCHI Out! out! out! THE RELATIVES The linen! The silver! SCHICCHI it’s my house! THE RELATIVES The silver! The linen! SCHICCHI Out! out! Out! out! Out! out! it’s my house, it’s my house! |
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THE RELATIVES The silver! The linen! Plunder, plunder! Pillage, pillage! SCHICCHI Out! out! out! ZITA, CIESCA, NELLA Ah! SCHICCHI Out! out! out! etc. (As all the relatives have collected more and more loot, they crowd together at the door and go down the stairs. Schicchi runs after them, rushing down the stairs.) THE RELATIVES Thief, villain, scoundrel, traitor! SCHICCHI Out! out! out! THE RELATIVES Thief, thief, scoundrel, traitor! SCHICCHI Out! out! THE RELATIVES Ah! ah! |
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SCHICCHI Out! out! THE RELATIVES Ah! ah! SCHICCHI Out! out! (The glass door opens slowly, revealing Florence, bathed in sunlight; the two lovers are standing on the terrace in each other's arms.) RINUCCIO My Lauretta, we shall always stay here. Look, Florence Is golden, Flesole is beautiful! LAURETTA That’s where you vowed your love to me. RINUCCIO I asked you for a kiss. LAURETTA My fIrst kIss. RINUCCIO Pale and quivering, you turned your face. LAURETTA, RINUCCIO Florence In the distance seemed to us like paradise! |
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(Schicchi comes back up the stairs, loaded down, and throws everything on to the ground.) SCHICCHI The gang of thieves has gone! (He sees the two lovers and, smiling, turns to the audience.) Tell me, ladies and gentlemen, if Buoso’s money could have had a better end than this. For this prank they sent me to hell, and so be it; but, with the permission of the great old man Dante, if you’ve been entertained this evening, allow me (He claps his hands.) extenuating circumstances. End of opera |
| libretto by Kenneth Chalmers |
| Contents: The Cloak; Sister Angelica; Gianni Schicchi |