The action is set in China. It begins inside a cave, where the genie Zelou has been turned into the Mostro Turchino (Blue Monster) after having offended the Wise Men of the Sacred Mountain. Zelou will only be freed if he passes this curse to someone else. He unleashes a storm on the lovers Taer and Dardanè and thus separates them. The young girl, Dardanè, is turned into a young man named Acmed; Zelou reveals that she will have to defeat three plagues which are ruining the kingdom of Nanquin if she wants to reunite with her lover Taer: the Mostro Turchino, the Cavaliere Fatato (Enchanted Knight) and an Idra (seven-headed Hydra). These three plagues appeared in the kingdom when the king Fanfur remarried with the beautiful slave Gulindì. Dardanè, looking like the prince Acmed, arouses Gulindì’s love; when she is rejected, the latter forces Dardanè to defeat the plagues. Then, Zelou meets Taer and tells him about Dardanè / Acmed’s fate and about the threats that loom over the kingdom. He invites Taer to enter the cave to read a book which relates his misadventures; then, Zelou summons the Wise Men and passes the Mostro’s appearance onto Taer. Thanks to the Mostro Turchino / Taer’s valuable advice, Dardanè / Acmed defeats the plagues. The Mostro Turchino lets himself be chained, without struggling; the Cavaliere is overcome and, when Dardanè kills the Idra, she also kills Gulindì. Just before she dies, the latter accuses Dardanè / Acmed of having poisoned her. Dardanè / Acmed is sent to jail with the Mostro Turchino. When she is about to be taken to be put to death, the Mostro Turchino reveals the young woman’s true identity, thus breaking the spell which was keeping her in a male body. The Mostro must die, since he has not managed to make Dardanè fall in love with his grotesque appearance; however, just before it is too late, she declares her love to him and the spell which bound Taer to the Mostro’s body is also broken.

Rod and string marionette

Not specified

Italy

Milan

Manuscript

Monster

Magic

Change of identity

Change of gender

Love

Test

Scourge

Comical

Fantasy

Il Mostro Turchino, Teatro delle marionette di Giuseppe Fiando, 1815 (cover page)

Italian

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Genie

Prince

Slave

Colombine

Gerolamo

Balanzone

Tartaglia

Brighella

Captain

Knight

Executioner

The Blue Monster (Il Mostro Turchino)

Apparition of a genie

One character replaced by another

Metamorphosis

Fighting a monster

Fight

Aside

Avista

Death on stage

Stormy scene

Il Mostro Turchino

The Blue Monster

Florindo wants to marry Isabella, the daughter of a pork’s butcher. His father Balanzone opposes their union and wants Florindo to marry a baroness. Since his son refuses, Balanzone sends him to Venice for his studies, so that he will be far from Isabella. Florindo is hopeless and asks Brighella for help, and the latter takes him to the magician Arcaleus. The magician hands him two magic rings. Those who wear them will swap identities. The second ring falls into the hands of Fasolino, who owes a lot of debts in town. Florindo becomes Fasolino, and Fasolino, Florindo. After several misunderstandings and twists and turns, Fasolino, with the appearance of Florindo, ends up in jail, but people believe he is mad, and he is freed. Out of anger, he throws the ring on to the ground and thus regains his true appearance, which breaks the spell. Brighella reveals the plot. The story ends with a happy ending – Florindo is permitted to marry Isabella, and Fasolino expresses his joy because, while they swapped identities, Florindo repaid most of his debts.