The priest shakes his head. He is still too unfamiliar with
the world of theatre. And men like Apostolo Zeno, oh boy! He’d
rather not pursue the unattainable. He doesn’t have that kind of
money. Gasparini rubs the back of his head thoughtfully. ‘Ah,’ a
gleam comes to his eyes. ‘I tell you what, pop in on the impresario
of Teatro San Cassiani. He’ll point you out a librettist who’s wandering
around at a loose end, the one who had a flop last year. With Elisa,
you remember.’
The smile is back on Vivaldi’s face. ‘Ah, yes. The comic
opera! Fantastic! It’s just a shame the public didn’t think so.’
‘Indeed,’ agrees Gasparini in sombre tones. ‘Venice isn’t
ready for it. I think it’s too modern. In any case, it’s sad the
production came off the boards prematurely.’ He grimaces, ‘Yup,’
he continues with a sneer, ‘you can dish up anything you like to the
Venetians, as long as it’s not too different from what they’re used
to. Anyway, it’s Domenico Lalli who wrote the libretto for Elisa. He
doesn’t come from around here, but I’ve worked with him a few
times and with pleasure, I must say. He’s about your own age and I
have the feeling you’ll get on. His problem is that since Elisa he
hasn’t been able to find anyone willing to take a libretto from him.
I’m sure you’d be able to agree a good contract with him, but should
he prove difficult just say I sent you.’
That was that then! Vivaldi would have to try his hand at
opera before he had thought he would. It makes him nervous, but
on the other hand there is the thrill of the unknown. Terra incognita!
New frontiers, new possibilities, new success… the thought of it is
enough to make him giddy. Only there is so very little time.
‘But where will I find to perform my operas?’ he asks
Gasparini. Without a theatre his work will have no audience. The
current musical director smacks his lips as if anticipating a large
glass of wine. ‘Leave that to me, Vivaldi.’
‘Lalli?’ barks the impresario of Teatro San Cassiano forbiddingly in
response to Vivaldi’s question. Where might the librettist be
hanging out? The man makes a face as of someone who has just
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