Pulcinella, an apothecary, is pleased with his situation. Her daughter’s servant, Cannetella, tells him that women have qualities that make good apothecaries. After quarrelling several times about this topic, Pulcinella plans on marrying her. However, Cannatella is in love with a young man, Lisardo, who came to offer his services and work in the shop. Lisardo was hired by Pulcinella and is happy to be progressing with his plans: in fact, under the name Lisardo, a young woman called Delmira is hiding. She came to take revenge on Filarco, who robbed her of her honour and then abandoned her. However, Filarco is now wooing Rosaura, Pulcinella’s daughter. In fact, Rosaura is sick: to cure her, Pulcinella suggests that she marry Damone; she flatly refuses. Filarco sees many similarities between Lisardo and his ex-mistress, whom he believed was dead, but he is still fooled: he asks the young man to help him win Rosaura; Delmira calls him a traitor. To cure Rosaura, Pulcinella hires Damone, who is also a doctor: when the latter woos her during the consultation, she faints. As for Lisardo, he rejects Cannetella’s advances. The servant suggests that Filarco pretends to be a doctor to grow closer to Rosaura: because of her exhortations, Pulcinella summons Damone and Filarco, who examine the young woman together: this leads to double meanings between the young characters, who declare their love to each other. Filarco’s prescription is in fact a love letter, and Lisardo condemns his betrayal (Pulcinella cannot read): however, Rosaura manages to interpret every single word in medical terms. After taking the treatment prescribed by Damone, Rosaura pretends to have gone insane and behaves like Eurydice waiting for her Orfeo (Orpheus). She is so believable that Pulcinella discharges Damone and relies on Filarco: Rosaura pretends to see Orfeo in him; he goes along with it and earns the right to marry her. In an attempt to stop the marriage, Damone discloses that Rosaura is not Pulcinella’s daughter. Therefore, Pulcinella does not have the right to decide who she will marry: Rosaura declares her love to Filarco nonetheless. Delmira reveals who she truly is, and Filarco decides to go back to his first wife. Rosaura then lets herself be talked into marrying Damone, and Cannetella agrees to marry Pulcinella.

Rod and string marionette

Not specified

Italy

Rome

Printed

Medicine

Love

Revenge

Cure

Unfaithfulness

Forced marriage

Melodramatic

Burlesque

Farcical

Comical

Pulcinella speziale in villa, 1728 (title page)

Italian

Pulcinella

Apothecary

Young woman

Young man

Physician

Maid

Music

Dialect

Popular speech

Thwarted love

Argument

Love story

Love rivalry

Disguised character (false identity)

Cross-dressing

Character mistaken as a member of the other sex

Love duet

Sick character on stage

Fainting

Situation comedy

Comic equivocation

Scene of madness

Final wedding

Pulcinella speziale in villa

Pulcinella apothecary in the villa