La zingaretta
De zigeunerin Lisetta wil juist haar aria zingen, als ze voor het eerst haar tegenspeler en beoogde minnaar ontmoet: de zelfingenomen Riccardo, die op het verkeerde moment binnenvalt en bovenop de tafel gaat staan.
Lisetta
(Baffled)
Who on earth is that?
Valentino
Your lover, Riccardo… The slave of your desire… The firewood for your passion…
Lisetta looks at him, dumbfounded.
Lisetta
Are you… kidding me?
Valentino
(Timidly)
He’s all we could afford.
Lisetta
He’s all you need, for he’s in love with himself.
She grabs her long dress with both hands and turns around to walk away.
Valentino
(Hastily)
Don’t let a first impression deter you. Look beyond his psysical appearance and what do you see?
Lisetta
A moron?
Valentino
No, beyond beyond… Signor Riccardo has inherited the biggest wine house in Napoli. He swims in luxury.
Lisetta
And in wine, apparently.
Valentino
(Completely misses the sarcasm)
And so could you. Right next to him. Just use your imagination.
Lisetta stares abstractedly in front of her.
Valentino (CONTINUES)
(Nods towards the audience)
I’ve made them believe this is Napoli, so why can’t you pretend, only for a moment, that he is your… “sweetheart”?
Lisetta
(Lost in thought)
‘Cause I will break his fingers, one by one, if he lays his hands on me.
Valentino
(Hastily)
He won’t touch you, I promise!
Lisetta
I would tear that ridiculous wig off his head and-
Valentino
Of course, of course! He will keep a safe distance, I guarantee. His affection will be strictly platonic.
Lisetta
I don’t want him to say my name or even look at me! No sweet talking, no air kisses, nothing!
Valentino
But it’s a love story!
Lisetta
Not anymore if I’ll catch him.
Valentino
All right, fine, he will fully ignore you! Now will you sing?!
Lisetta
Sure.
Just in time her voice joins in the music and Valentino steps aside. With a radiant smile Lisetta turns towards the audience and takes no notice of Riccardo who is still occupied with himself and his appearance.