Il Lorenzino de· Medici di Francesco Maria Piave musicato da Giovanni Pacini

Abstract

The main purpose of this essay is to critically analyse the contribution made to the formation of public opinion in favour of the cause of the unity of the Italian nation by a work by Francesco Maria Piave, Lorenzino de’ Medici, set to music by Giovanni Pacini, written to be performed at the “La Fenice” theatre in Venice in the Carnival of 1844. Piave was one of Giuseppe Verdi’s favourite librettists, who had shown interest in this text, but had not been able to complete the work for reasons including political censorship. The anti-Tyrannical and pro-Republican political significance of Lorenzino de’ Medici can be seen in the context of the opera, which brings out the hope of the Italian people to soon see the freedom of the nation.

Keywords

• republican political tradition
• legitimacy of tyrannicide
• florentine renaissance republicanism
• public opinion and opera
• lorenzino de’ medici