INTRODUCTION
(The Finnish ghosts)
Sauna Ghost "Is this a European ghost meeting?" ONKS TAA SE
EUROOPAN KUMMITUS KOKOUS?
Snow Ghost "Where are the others?" MISSÄ MUUT ON?
Forest Ghost "What time is it?" PALJON KELLO?
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Sauna Ghost "It’s midnight. The party is going to begin. This is a strange
place. I miss my sauna." NYT ON KESKIYÖ. JUHLAT ALKAA. OUTO
PAIKKA. MÄ HALUUN SAUNAAN.
Snow Ghost "It’s very dark here. I miss the glittering snow." TAAL ON
PIMEETÄ. MÄ KAIPAAN VALAISEVAA LUNTA.
Forest Ghost "It’s too empty here. I miss my trees." TAAL ON TYHJAA.
MA HALUUN PUIDEN LUO.
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(The Italian ghosts)
Fortress Ghost "How tired I am! The journey from Italy was very long. I
miss my Fortress." COME SONO STANCA! IL VIAGGIO DALL'ITALIA
E' STATO VERAMENTE LUNGO. SENTO GIA' LA MANCANZA DELLA
MIA ROCCA.
Vineyard Ghost "And I? I had to bring forward the grape harvest in
order to be here." E IO? HO DOVUTO ANTICIPARE LA VENDEMMIA
PER ESSERE QUI.
Cookery Ghost "We’ll enjoy ourselves. I brought wine, ciambelle and
salami for everybody." CI DIVERTIREMO! HO PORTATO VINO,
CIAMBELLE E SALAME PER TUTTI.
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(The Spanish ghosts)
Sailor Ghost "What a cold place! I miss the sunny days on the beach."
QUE LUGAR TAN FRIO! ECHO DE MENOS LOS DIAS SOLEADOS EN
LA PLAYA.
Bullfighter Ghost "I understand you because the sun shines when I am in
the middle of the bullring." TE ENTIENDO PORQUE EL SOL BRILLA
CUANDO ESTOY EN LA PLAZA DE TOROS.
Flamenco Ghost "Don’t worry. All the problems will be resolved when I
play my Spanish guitar." NO OS PREOCUPEIS. TODOS LOS PROBLEMAS
SE RESOLVERAN CUANDO TOQUE MI GUITARRA SPAGNOLA.
Sauna Ghost to Flamenco Ghost "Who are you?" KUKA SA OOT?
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Flamenco Ghost "What are you saying?" QUE DICES?
Vineyard Ghost to Snow Ghost "What’s your name?" COME TI
CHIAMI?
Snow Ghost "What?" MITA?
Sailor Ghost to Cookery Ghost "Where are you from?" DE DONDE
ERES?
Cookery Ghost "I can’t understand you." NON TI CAPISCO.
Forest Ghost to Bullfighter Ghost "Do you speak Finnish?" PUHUTSA
SUOMEE?
Bullfighter Ghost "What?" QUE?
Fortress Ghost "What a mess! Let’s speak English!" CHE CONFUSIONE!
PARLIAMO INGLESE!
Snow Ghost "Yes, so we can understand each other. I would like to tell
you a fairy tale from Finland."
Sailor Ghost "I'm going to tell you a fairy tale from Spain."
Fortress Ghost "I'll start telling you the story of "La Bella Merla."
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"LA BELLA MERLA"
SCENE ONE
Place: banner "The first European ghost meeting", flags of the EU
Countries.
Characters: the eight ghosts, sat in semicircle, listen to the story of
the bella Merla who is sitting opposite them.
Fortress Ghost: a beautiful girl with dark hair gathered in a plait; she is
wearing a white sheet on which the symbol of the Fortress stands out.
She is wearing a torn bridal veil.
Vineyard Ghost: he is wearing a white sheet with the symbol of the
grapes and, on his head, he has a wreath of vine leaves and bunches of
grapes.
Cookery Ghost: he is wearing, upon the white sheet, a stained cook's
apron and, on his head, he has a chef's hat.
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Fortress Ghost "I lived in a wonderful place: the Fortress of Montalino,
feud of the Pavia Bishop. The season I liked best was autumn, when the
Bishop arrived for the grape harvest."
SCENE TWO
Place: hills with vineyard laden with ripe bunches of grapes and with
ruddy vine leaves on which the imposing and austere Fortress dominates.
Characters: Bishop (magnificently dressed); two valets (dressed as altar
boys); the Merlo family: father, mother, two sons: Leonardo and Antonio,
a daughter, Beatrice.
(The Bishop attended by the two valets enters.)
I Valet "Your Excellency, the journey from the bishop's palace in Pavia
was long and tiring, but it was worth the trouble."
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II Valet "Look! What a view! The hills are laden with bunches of grapes,
the vine leaves glow red."
Bishop "You are right, in autumn my Fortress is in its full splendour: it is
a riot of colours and scents."
(On the opposite side, on the road which leads to the Fortress, the two
brothers Merlo are coming down with a little cart full of ripe bunches of
grapes.)
(They greet the Bishop deferently.)
Leonardo (Bowing deferentially to kiss the Bishop's ring) "Oh,
Excellency, welcome to our land! Also this year You honour us with Your
presence."
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Antonio (Bowing to kiss the ring) "Welcome, Excellency! We were waiting
for You."
(Pointing to the parents that are approaching) "Here are our parents.
They are coming to pay homage to You!"
(Mr and Mrs Merlo with their daughter are getting closer.)
(The father and the mother bow.)
Father "Excellency, Your faithful Gastaldi welcome You."
Mother "This is Beatrice, our daughter."
Beatrice (cheerfully adds) "In the Fortress there is a festive air! All
the servants are waiting for You to celebrate Your autumn stay."
(They exit in procession: in front walks the Bishop with the valets; the
parents, Mr and Mrs Merlo, and the children follow, heading for the
Fortress.)
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SCENE THREE
Place: in the Fortress courtyard, under a bower from which fine bunches
of grapes hang, a sumptuous banquet has been prepared.
Characters: two servants, Bishop, two valets, the Merlo family (5), the
young girl, cousin of the Merlos: Isabella.
(I Servant enters and crosses the scene breathless, holding a ewer and
making sure that everything is in order.)
II Servant (enters with a tray) "Is everything ready? They are arriving!"
I Servant "Here is the Bishop and our Master and Mistress Merlo."
(The procession enters: the Bishop, the two valets, Mrs and Mr Merlo.
The servants welcome them with a bow.)
Mr Merlo "Excellency, this feast is in Your honour." (He points to the
banquet and gives the servant a nod in order to approach with the wine.)
(The group toasts and talks amiably.)
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(The two Merlo brothers enter; a servant approaches and offers goblets
of wine.)
(While the two young men are toasting, on the other side of the stage
the young Merlo cousin, with the young men's sister, enters.)
Beatrice "My dear cousin, how happy I am for your return!"
Isabella "My heart is overflowing with joy! At last the long and boring
college years are over and here I am, back to our dear Fortress. How
beautiful it is now that it is all festive!"
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(The two young girls embrace each other and mutter between them.)
Leonardo "Antonio, who is that wonderful girl who is talking with our
sister?"
Antonio "Don't you remember her? It is Isabella, our cousin! She
studied in Pavia in the college of the Canossiane sisters."
Leonardo "You are right, the little girl with whom we played when we
were children has turned into a charming young woman."
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Antonio "Let's go nearer!"
Leonardo "Yes, yes, I want to know everything about her."
(The young men meet and speak to each other.)
(The scene ends with all the characters exiting silently apart from the
two main characters that remain in the middle of the scene and smile at
each other holding hands.)
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SCENE FOUR
Place: the hills of the Fortress at sunset. A farmer is harvesting grapes.
Characters: the Bishop, the farmer, the young Merlo, the young man's
father, the Parish Priest.
(The Bishop enters and watches the hilly landscape.)
(He speaks to the farmer.)
Bishop "My good man, how is the harvest this year?"
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Farmer "Abundant and of excellent quality, Excellency!"
(The young Merlo enters walking with his head down and shaking his head,
deep in thought.)
Bishop "My dear Leonardo, I'm glad to meet you, but … what is worrying
you, my boy?"
Leonardo "Oh, Excellency! I have a heavy heart and I must confess it,
otherwise I will lose my mind."
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Bishop "Come on, then. I'm listening to you."
Leonardo "I fell in love with my cousin and this impossible love is wearing
me down."
Bishop "Why impossible? Isn't perhaps your love returned by her?"
Leonardo "On the contrary, Excellency. She desires me as much as I
desire her. This is exactly the trouble! If she hated me, or at least if I
were indifferent to her, perhaps I would be able to resign myself more
easily."
Bishop "So, what hinders you?"
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Leonardo "Our same blood. We are first cousins."
(The Bishop smiles.)
Bishop "If love calls you, follow it. Even if its roads are hard and steep
rely on it and have faith. I will try to obtain a marriage dispensation from
the Holy Father for you. I promise you that the wedding will take place; I
myself will come and celebrate it and then we will give a party in Pavia, in
the Bishop's palace."
(They exit.)
(Some days elapse – change of lights)
(The young Merlo, with his father, enters.)
Father "My dear son, your melancholy makes me sad. You would have
done better if you had contained your feeling within the bounds of
fondness. Now I realize that it has become an impossible love."
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(The Parish Priest enters waving a letter and approaches in great
agitation.)
Parish Priest "Sir, a wonderful piece of news! Monsignor Bishop has
obtained the longed-for papal marriage dispensation! Leonardo and
Isabella are free to marry."
Leonardo "Oh. Thank you, Father Ferdinando! I am so happy!"
Parish Priest "So am I for you. And let me be the first to congratulate,
my dear son. I think you could not have made a better choice. Monsignor
Bishop will come at the end of January to officiate at your wedding and
then there will be a great feast in the Bishop's palace, in Pavia."
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SCENE FIVE
Place: Saint Marcello's basilica in winter, with the snow.
Characters: the bride and bridegroom, the Bishop, the two valets, the
Parish Priest, the parents, the two children, the guests (3).
(In front of Montalino's basilica the Bishop and the Parish Priest are
waiting for the bride and bridegroom who, followed by the bridal
procession, go through the audience in the stalls and go up the stage.)
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Bishop "Dearly beloved brethren, today is a great day! We are here
gathered to celebrate your wedding."
Parish Priest " When you go out from this holy place, your marriage will
be blessed by God and no man will be able to part you anymore and to
upset your love."
(The bridal procession goes into the church.)
(Some guests remain in the church square.)
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I Guest "The day is wonderful, but terribly cold. The snow that covers
our hills shines under this bright sun, but without heat."
II Guest "The frost of this year is extraordinary. It has come to my
knowledge that also the Po waters are frozen."
III Guest (goes near) "How shall we manage then to cross the Po to
reach Pavia where the wedding feast is going to be held?"
I Guest "It is true, the barges will not be able to take us."
II Guest "Perhaps we will have to cross the river on foot, making good
use of the thick layer of ice."
III Guest (Turns to the church from the inside of which comes music)
"Listen, the wedding service is going to end soon! In a short time the
bride and bridegroom are coming out."
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(The bride and bridegroom come out followed by the bridal procession.
The sound volume increases and everybody performs the steps of a
medieval dance.)
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Bishop "Let the bridal procession rejoin and let us set off together for
Pavia, to my Bishop's palace, where a great feast is waiting for us."
SCENE SIX
Place: in the background: bank of the river covered with snow at the
sunset, with poplars and in the distance landscape of Pavia with the
medieval towers.
On scene: 6 – 8 boys laid and covered with lengths of material. They
suggest the image of the crackling of ice with little movements. On
proscenium: the procession enters accompanied by music.
Characters: the same as the previous scene.
I Guest "Here's the Po! It has really turned into a sheet of ice. How it is
sparkling under the rays of the setting sun!"
II Guest "What did I tell you? The Po is frozen. We cannot ferry by
barges."
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III Guest "We should walk across. The ice seems to me to be solid."
Mother Merlo "Are you sure? Will the ice hold under our feet? We are
so many!"
Father Merlo "Don't worry, my dear, the sheet of ice is very thick, and
then we will pass one at a time."
(The Bishop, with the valets, crosses.)
(They stop on the other bank.)
Leonardo "Go ahead, Isabella. I will catch up with you soon."
(Isabella takes a few steps cautiously on the sheet of ice. Suddenly a
sinister crackling is heard. The ice opens under her feet. She falls with a
long cry and the sheet-ice covers her.)
Leonardo (Rushes desperate and mad with grief upon the breaking ice)
"Isabella! Isabella! Isabella!…"
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(He dives his arms into the icy water shouting desperately. The brother,
the father and two guests restrain him from jumping into the river.)
Father "Leonardo, stop! It is useless! The current of the river is too
strong; it will sweep away you too."
Mother "My God, Leonardo! Wait! Listen to your father: it is all useless!"
SCENE SEVEN
Place: the Fortress with the vegetation whitened with the hoar-frost.
Characters: two young people of the Scuola Media: Filippo and Federica,
the Fortress Ghost, all the characters.
Filippo "Look Federica, we have arrived at the Fortress. Here the legend
was born of the three days of the Merla which we read in class today."
Federica "Since I was a young girl the fact that the last three days of
January are called "the days of the Merla" has always made me curious."
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Filippo "It is exactly here that the bella Merla lived and here, desperate
and mad with grief, her young husband, Leonardo, came back after the
terrible tragedy."
(Behind them the Ghost of the bella Merla wanders about the whitened
vegetation.)
Federica (Turns to look at the winter landscape) "Look, Filippo! How
wonderful it is! The branches of the trees look like laces; the hoar-frost
has embroidered all the landscape."
Filippo "Do you remember the legend? They say that during the last
three nights of January, the Ghost bride goes back to wander somewhere
near the Fortress and they say that, among the thorns of the branches,
she loses fragments of her bridal veil."
Federica "It is true, the white embroideries of the white frost really
look like fragments of bridal veil! I have a feeling that Isabella is here
among us …"
(The lights dim. Filippo and Federica step back to the sides of the scene,
while the Fortress Ghost comes to the middle of the stage.)
(From the two sides enter the eight ghosts that arrange themselves, sat,
in semicircle around Isabella.)
Fortress Ghost "… And still today during the coldest days of January,
the girls of Montalino who look for a husband, gather on the bank of the
Po to sing this song: "
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(Enter all the characters who arrange themselves at Isabella's sides, in
front of the ghosts' semicircle and start singing. )
" E di sera e di mattina
la sua Merla poverina,
piange il Merlo e piangerà."
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CONCLUSION
(All the characters exit, except the 8 ghosts, who arrange themselves in
semicircle together with the Fortress Ghost.)
Flamenco Ghost "How nice our fairy tales are!"
Cookery Ghost "You are right. They are really nice!"
Bullfighter Ghost (Addressing the others) "Which one did you like
best?"
Forest Ghost "I liked "Lord I'm Bad" because it is a musical with
realistic and fantasy characters."
Vineyard Ghost "On the contrary I like fairy tales concerning kings and
queens and "The Queen's Biznag" is really a wonderful fairy tale with
fairies and spells."
Sauna Ghost "Ah, I am romantic and I like love stories as " La Bella
Merla"."
Fortress Ghost "You know, the legend of the Bella Merla was born from
the oral traditions of country people who tried to explain through magic
the annual recurrence of strange atmospheric phenomena: the particular
frost of the last three days of January, the so called "giorni della
Merla". "
Sailor Ghost "The Spanish fairy tale has got a moral: simplicity, kindness
and generosity triumph over arrogance, domineering attitude and
selfishness."
Snow Ghost "There are two interpretations of our musical: the real
world represents the awareness of growth during preadolescence, while
the underground world represents the sphere of the unconscious that
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everyone has inside, and that preserves, despite the passing of time,
children's fantasies."
Fortress Ghost (Stands up and comes to the middle of the stage)
"Listening to these fairy tales we examined closely the knowledge of our
cultures and we found out that we share the same values: love,
generosity, tolerance and fantasy."
(The other ghosts get up, join hands and move forward.)
THE END
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