The Servant of Two Masters

The merchant Pantalone would like his daughter Clarice to marry the rich Federigo Rasponi. However, when he learns of Rasponi's death, he unceremoniously betroths Clarice to Silvio, the dottore's son. For Clarice and Silvio, who sincerely love each other, this is a happy coincidence. Then Federigo, who was thought to be dead, appears and wants to assert his claims. His servant Truffaldino bursts into the story with him. Truffaldino in turn, wanting to increase his income and get an extra bite to eat, has recommended himself to Florindo, who has recently arrived, and thus becomes the eponymous servant of two masters. In order not to be exposed, Truffaldino now does everything he can to prevent his financial backers from meeting. And chaos is inevitable. What the enterprising servant, and initially no one else, suspects is that Federigo is in fact his sister Beatrice in disguise, who happens to be Florindo's lover. The confusion that Truffaldino creates is therefore likely to take another surprising turn.

First performed in 1746 and later staged by Goethe here in Weimar, Carlo Goldoni's most famous stage play with its tableau of characters is considered a prime example and highlight of the commedia dell'arte: cheeky servants and clever maids, penny-pinching patriarchs and garrulous dottores. And in the midst of all turbulence there are the lovers, who are first plunged into misfortune by the machinations of others before the longed-for happiness is granted to them. However, there is more than just whimsy behind the capers of Goldoni's servants. The focus is on the evil schemes of corrupt nobles and miserly employers who virtually force their employees to rebel against them in cunning ways. Goldoni thus gives dignity and a human face to the servants, who until then had been shown as contemptible and worthy of ridicule. Therein lies the great power of his comedies, which to this day have lost none of their sophistication, wit and charm.

Swaantje Lena Kleff, in-house director at the DNT since the 2021/2022 season and most recently familiar to audiences through »A Christmas Carol«, »Paarlaufen II« and »The Tempest«, will bring Goldoni's fast-paced comedy to our summer theatre stage at the e-werk weimar. Laughter expressly welcome!