Mozart believed that the Italian comicopera should first and foremost "make people laugh"; and it is precisely Mozart′s playful music to that sustains the theatrical fun of this operina, which at the climax of the story brings to the stage a mechanical goose that hides one of the protagonists.

Plot ofopera: Wealthy landowner Don Pippo has a daughter, Celidora, who loves the handsome Biondello in love. The latter asks her to marry him, but Don Pippo--engaged to young Lavinia who secretly loves Calandrino--does not consider him socially equal and refuses his consent. Then the young men have an idea: tickling his vanity they will tell to Don Pippo that the Sultan of Cairo sends him a wonderful gift, "the wise goose that speaks humanly" and can "foretell the future." The maid Auretta allies herself with the young, well-paid from Calandrino, and announces to her master the arrival of the wondrous beast. Don Pippo falls into the trap, the Cairo procession arrives with Calandrino and Lavina disguised from the Sultan´s messengers and with Biondello in the part of the goose, who utters a terrible prophecy: "If Don Pippo does not renounce his marriage to Lavina, I see all ruin, disaster"; and also: "If Celidora the young man who loves her marries her, all things well will go". Don Pippo frightened agrees and the young men, stripped of their disguises, celebrate the excellent success of their deception. At the best of times Auretta arrives to warning them, "The master doesn´t drink it," she even called the guards. In the happy ending Don Pippo decides to forgive them and sings, "... qui convien venire to patti. He who knows best will forgive," also because in the meantime he has already set his eyes on the beautiful servant girl.

The Cairo Goose is the only opera ever written in which we see a tenor disguised from goose. Why specifically from goose ? Perhaps it was more logical from parrot, since it speaks, or perhaps from fox, which has a reputation for being a very cunning animal. But there is a malicious rumor circulating in the theater, that tenors, to unlike baritones and basses, are not exactly eagles (to stay in the animal kingdom). And I believe that this rumor circulated even in Mozart's time ... although geese are not that stupid, since they have already saved Rome once. The scene in which Biondello arrives dressed from goose is the centerpiece of the wholeopera and is of great comedy. So I thought of aiming the whole direction at the geese. I asked to a great photographer, Mino La Franca, to take pictures of geese and also to somehow make them act. Which he managed to to do, alternating buckets of feed to others of water. The photos, computer-processed with hilarious results, are projected on stage as background and commentary to the characters´ actions. Thinking then thatopera buffa derives from the commedia dell′arte, where masks such as Harlequin, Columbine, Pantalone did not recite a fully written text but went around the squares of Italy adapting the jokes to the place where they were, we decided to resume this tradition, inserting photos of the most beautiful places in Spoleto. Enjoy!

Patrizia Gracis

‍