About the work
Dramma giocoso in three acts by Antonio Salieri, first performed on 6 December 1784 at the Burgtheater in Vienna – the first libretto Lorenzo Da Ponte wrote for the stage, after a source by Giovanni Bertati.
Plot
In Venice, the young Giacinto squanders his inheritance while his miserly brother Strettonio hoards every coin. Only once Giacinto's extravagance lands him in real trouble does it become clear who his true friends are – above all Emilia, who loves him despite his recklessness and helps bring him to his senses.
Cultural significance
Da Ponte's first libretto included topical references such as the Montgolfier brothers' balloon flights of 1783, and its servant character already prefigured traits Da Ponte would soon develop further for Leporello in Mozart's 'Don Giovanni'. Despite Salieri's score, the still clumsily constructed piece closed after only six performances; its failure led Salieri to turn to other librettists, indirectly clearing the way for Da Ponte's partnership with Mozart.