At the Trianon Viviani, on Friday, February 2, at 9 pm, the comic opera "O curnuto immaginario" is staged. The theater of Forcella, which in 2012 had presented the first performance in modern times of "La finta Parigina" by Domenico Cimarosa, now hosts, in a world premiere, a "commedeja pe' museca", which revives the great genre of the Neapolitan eighteenth century.
The author, Franco Cutolo, has built the show in a single act, starting from the reworking of an anonymous libretto in Neapolitan that washed up in Sebeto, according to a consolidated theatrical practice, one of the first successful titles of Molière, "Sganarello or the imaginary cuckold", which the famous French playwright had written in 1660.
The libretto has been dressed with arias by Domenico Cimarosa and Giovanni Paisiello, with pieces respectively from "La finta Parigina" and "L’idolo cinese", as well as with the Leonardo Vinci of "Vorria addeventare sorecillo", from "Li zite ‘ngalera" and "Amice nun credite a le zetelle".
The plot unfolds around four main characters: Cosimello - or the figure of Sganarello, originally played by Molière himself at the debut of his comedy - his wife, Celine and Lelio. Celine is very in love with Lelio, to the point of fainting when she looks at his portrait. Cosimello rushes to her aid, but his Wife, who watches them from the window of the house, thinks there is something fishy. When she comes out of the house, she finds Lelio's portrait in the square and is fascinated by it. Unfortunately, she is surprised by her husband while praising the beauty of the young man. Shortly after, Cosimello finds the supposed lover and warns him to stay away from his Wife. Lelio, thinking that Celine has married Cosimello, agrees to keep away. Later, Cosimello confides in Celine about Lelio's extramarital adventure. And then, between fights, jokes, jests and the inevitable twists and turns, the playful ending in which it is proclaimed that "love will guide us!".
On stage Peppe Parisi (Cosimello), Pietro Juliano (Inquisition's Lawyer, Dr. Pandura and a Porter), Thayla Orefice (Cosimello's Wife), Francesca Colapietro (Celine), Lello Russo (Lelio), Rosaria Russo (the Judge), Salvatore Bottino (Mascarillo) and Rosaria Troncone (a Woman), with the participation of Giovanni Mauriello, who plays a begging Friar.
Cutolo signs all the staging, from the sets and costumes, to the direction, according to his vision of "a total theater, in which the action, sound, language, scenes and costumes always play an equal role and integrate". The elaborations of the pieces and the musical direction are by Luca Mennella. The production is by li Febi armonici, with Olimpia Panariello production delegate.
"O curnuto immaginario" will be replicated on Saturday, February 3, at 9 pm, and on Sunday, February 4, at 6 pm. Tickets and subscriptions can be purchased at the theater box office, authorized pre-sales and online on the AzzurroService.net circuit.