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 copyright 2005 Michael Jacobsen and Danielle Sinclair |
The Tinker of Tivoli Scores: Vocal/Piano
Accompaniment, 176 pp.
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The Tinker of Tivoli is a delightfully comic tale about the dangers of pride and arrogance, and the great rewards and pleasures of love. The energetic musical score comes from the operas of Gioacchino Rossini (The Barber of Seville, La Cenerentola, and others). It is set in the style of a Rossini comic opera and is sung throughout. Most of the parts are suitable for children 10-14 years old, but the larger parts are better suited to students age 14 and up. The piano part is accessible to advanced piano students. |
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| Roles: (B=boy, G=girl, E=either) Score also calls for a regular chorus of townspeople | ||
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Medium (numerous solo lines throughout) Butcher (E) Baker (E) Shopkeeper (E) |
Large (solos and ensembles) Beppe (B) Nannina (G) Maddalena (G) Luigi (B) |
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Rosina (G) Angelina (G) Isabella (G) Ernesto (B) |
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| Synopsis of Plot Scene One–A tinker’s shop on a street in a small Italian town. Sometime in the past.  As the scene opens, the town tinker Beppe is being harassed by a throng of
freeloaders who seek to procure his “ fix-it” services for free.
(pictured, left from our 2006 production) Annoyed, Beppe hides in his shop and repeatedly commands them to leave before finally
giving in, as usual, to their persistent begging. Disgusted by this daily
ritual, Beppe dreams of an exciting and carefree life. As they depart, a
knock is heard at the door. Supposing it to be another beggar, Beppe
brandishes his flyswatter and threatens to thrash the intruder only to
discover it is Ernesto, the town’s delivery boy. Ernesto has come to give Beppe a ring which the jeweler had just finished setting for him. He has
also come to discuss his deepening feelings for Beppe’s daughter, Nannina,
for whom Beppe had purchased the ring. Ernesto clumsily attempts to broach
the subject with him, but a preoccupied Beppe repeatedly interrupts him,
finally dashing out of the shop to be first in line for the popular fresh
pies that the town baker, Maddalena, has just brought down the street.
Ernesto somewhat despondently relates his feelings alone.
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Outside the shop, Maddalena is selling pies to the hungry crowd
(pictured right). There Beppe confronts his
nemesis Luigi, who happens to be Ernesto’s father and who also possesses a
sweet tooth. As they argue, Maddalena warns them to behave or risk losing
pie privileges. They exit still quarreling over the last available pie.
Nannina’s best friends Isabella, Angelina, and Rosina arrive on the scene to
discuss possible romantic developments between Nannina and Ernesto. Nannina
joins them and they nag her to reveal her feelings until she finally admits
to liking the young man. Beppe returns angrily to his shop, having been
forced to settle for half of a pie. As flies buzz madly around the
confection, Beppe grabs his swatter and miraculously manages to kill seven
with one blow. Amazed by his feat, an exultant Beppe vows to spread the news
of his feat throughout the land. As the scene closes, Nannina’s friends
enter, revisiting their discussion. They are joined by Nannina and Ernesto,
who looks on separately from a distance. Presently a crowd of townspeople
arrive to hear Beppe’s great news. Beppe enters to recount his heroic
exploits and is received by a tumultuous ovation. Luigi, watching from the
sidelines, can only stew in his rage.
Beppe (and his
admirers) depart in triumph. Nannina then enters, puzzling over Ernesto and
his possible feelings for her. Ernesto appears, surprising them both. He
tries desperately to engage her in conversation, only to remain tongue-tied
as usual. Nannina’s friends hopelessly attempt to salvage the situation for
Ernesto as they eavesdrop on the couple. Ernesto and Nannina depart confused
and Nannina’s friends are left to ponder the worsening state of affairs.
Maddalena arrives to inject a ray of hope and devise a plan to reunite their
love struck friends. Beppe and Nannina, then Luigi and Ernesto, arrive, as
the two fathers try in vain to console their respective daughter and son,
oblivious to the real reason they are feeling so dejected. Beppe shows
Nannina the ring he purchased for her, and Luigi shows Ernesto a bag of
money he has saved so that Ernesto can start his own business and leave his
menial delivery job. A crowd of Beppe’s newly won fans wander by, only to be
confronted by the bitter, humiliated Luigi. Beppe joins the discussion and
Luigi angrily challenges him to prove his wild claim once and for all with
an indisputable demonstration of skill. Beppe, now consumed with arrogance,
brazenly accepts the challenge and offers to wager Nannina’s ring against
Luigi’s money. The crowd, sensing the seriousness of the challenge reacts in
stunned disbelief.
Luigi responds by offering Beppe a
flyswatter and pointing him toward the town gazebo where a swarm of flies is
hovering around some freshly baked pies. As the crowd snickers, a red-faced
Beppe snatches the swatter and heads for his showdown. With everyone looking
on, Beppe swats madly at the flies, becoming increasing desperate as his
sledge-hammer blows land on everything except their intended target.
Gradually he becomes exhausted and unable to continue, collapsing in a
discouraged heap in front of the shocked crowd. An exultant Luigi then
demands the prize ring from Beppe, which, upon receiving, proceeds to offer
in turn to Ernesto, declaring his son’s fortune to be made. A stunned
Ernesto accepts the gift and, with what for him is an unprecedented display
of courage, approaches Nannina to offer it with his proposal of marriage
(pictured right). Nannina, paralyzed in surprise can only stutter as her friends rush forward
to accept on her behalf. As the townspeople voice their praise of this new
found love, Beppe and Luigi-- seeing their personal plans go awry--launch
into a tirade against each other. Having lost all patience with the
squabbling Beppe and Luigi, Maddalena steps in to demand their acquiescence.
Realizing that they are alone, and about to face a permanent pie embargo,
Beppe and Luigi relent as the happy couple unites and love triumphs.