A NIGHT IN VENICE an operetta in 3 acts by F. Zell and Richard Genée based on Le Château Trompette by Jules Cormon an Michel Carré. Music by Johann Strauss Revised by Ernst Marishka and Erich Korngold in 1923. English version by Lesley Storm and Dudley Glass Original production - Friederich-Wilhelmstädtisches Theater, Berlin - 3 October, 1883 Daly's Theatre, New York - 26 April, 1884. English version - Cambridge Theatre, London 25 May, 1944 STORY ACT I It is an evening in eighteenth-century Venice. In a square on the Grand Canal, with a view across to the Ducal Palace and the Isle of San Giorgio, the people are are strolling around as the sun goes down while the tradeswomen call their wares. The young Neapolitan macaroni cook Pappacoda pipes up with the observation that, for all the splendours of Venice, they do not have everything without their macaroni cook. "Macaroni as long as the Grand Canal, with as much cheese as there is sand in the Lido" - that is what Pappacoda offers. The young man is approached by Enrico, a naval officer, enquiring whether the Senator Delacqua is at home. When he is told that he is at a sitting of the Senate, Enrico sees it as an opportunity for a few private minutes with the Senator's young wife Barbara. However, she too is out, so Enrico slips Pappacoda a coin to give Barbara a letter, with the message that Enrico will be ready for her at nine o'clock that evening. As the people watch, a boat arrives carrying Annina, a fisher-girl, calling her wares. Pappacoda greets her, hinting that what has really brought her hither is the imminent arrival of the Duke of Urbino, and more particularly his barber Caramello, Annina's sweetheart. 'Caramello is a monster, a ne'er-do-well, and a conceited blockhead into the bargain,' she pouts. 'Stupidity is no hindrance to love,' Pappacoda retorts, sampling an oyster. "After all, I'm passionately in love with Ciboletta, Signora Delacqua's pretty cook - a girl as stupid as this oyster, and yet just as appetising, just as worthy of catching!' When Barbara Delacqua returns home, Pappacoda gives her the message from Enrico and receives another tip for his troubles. Annina departs with Barbara, leaving Pappacoda to greet his own girlfriend, Ciboletta. She is wondering when they are going to get married, and he promises that they will do so just as soon as he gets a position in service. The senators return from a stormy session, discussing the banquet that the Duke of Urbino is to give today when he arrives for his annual Carnival-time visit to Venice. The Duke is a notorious womaniser and has already cast his roving eye on Barbara, so Delacqua has taken the precaution of arranging for his wife to be taken by gondola to Murano to stay with an old abbess aunt in the convent there. The Duke's arrival is signalled by the appearance of a gondola carrying his personal barber, Caramello, who is warmly greeted by the crowd. He proceeds to show off his close acquaintance with the Duke and rounds things off with an agile tarantella for good measure. He quickly spots Annina, but she is not too pleased that he has practically ignored her for the past year. She becomes interested enough when the subject of their talk turns to marriage, but Caramello explains that he is anxious to obtain the position as the Duke's steward before committing himself to matrimony. In pursuit of amorous adventures on his master's behalf Caramello has learned with interest from Pappacoda that a gondolier is due to take Barbara Delacqua to Murano at 9 p.m. What he does not know is that his own girlfriend, Annina, has been persuaded by Barbara to take her place in the gondola, so that Barbara may spend her time with Enrico Piselli. Annina is determined to be back within the hour so that she may join in the Carnival dancing with Caramello, Pappacoda and Ciboletta in masks borrowed from their masters. The Duke arrives and greets Venice and its people. He loves them all, he tells them, though it is noticed that
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