''Cardinal Lambertini'' (Italian: ''Il cardinale Lambertini'') is an

historical History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbrella term comprising past events as well ...

comedy play Comedy is a genre of dramatic performance having a light or humorous tone that depicts amusing incidents and in which the characters ultimately triumph over adversity. For ancient Greeks and Romans, a comedy was a stage-play with a happy endin ...

by the Italian writer

Alfredo Testoni Alfredo Testoni (1856–1931) was an Italian playwright and poet known for his work in the Bolognese dialect. In 1888 he established his own company at the Teatro Contavalli in Bologna. Amongst his best known plays is ''Cardinal Lambertini'', a 1 ...

. It premiered in 1905 at the

Teatro Costanzi The Teatro dell'Opera di Roma (Rome Opera House) is an opera house in Rome, Italy. Originally opened in November 1880 as the 2,212 seat ''Costanzi Theatre'', it has undergone several changes of name as well modifications and improvements. The pre ...

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

. His most successful work, it has been revived numerous times. For many years the title part was closely associated with the actor

Ermete Zacconi Ermete Zacconi (14 September 1857, Montecchio Emilia, Province of Reggio Emilia – 14 October 1948 in Viareggio) was an Italian stage and film actor and a representative of naturalism and verism in acting. His leading ladies on stage were his ...

who originated it. The play's action takes place in 1739 in

Bologna Bologna (, , ; egl, label= Emilian, Bulåggna ; lat, Bononia) is the capital and largest city of the Emilia-Romagna region in Northern Italy. It is the seventh most populous city in Italy with about 400,000 inhabitants and 150 different nat ...

and focuses on the activities of the real Cardinal Lambertini who became

Pope Benedict XIV Pope Benedict XIV ( la, Benedictus XIV; it, Benedetto XIV; 31 March 1675 – 3 May 1758), born Prospero Lorenzo Lambertini, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 17 August 1740 to his death in May 1758.Antipope ...

the following year. Bologna was occupied at the time by Bourbon Spanish forces and the Cardinal has to resolve tensions between them and the local nobility who planned to revolt.

Adaptations

It has been made into films on two occasions: a 1934 film ''

Cardinal Lambertini Pope Benedict XIV ( la, Benedictus XIV; it, Benedetto XIV; 31 March 1675 – 3 May 1758), born Prospero Lorenzo Lambertini, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 17 August 1740 to his death in May 1758. Pope Be ...

'' directed by

Parsifal Bassi Parsifal Bassi (1892–1960) was an Italian actor, screenwriter and film director.Mancini p.224 Selected filmography * '' La porta del mondo'' (1921) * '' Anadiomene'' (1922) * ''Cardinal Lambertini'' (1934) * ''Rossini'' (1942) * ''Gioco d'azzar ...

and starring

and

Isa Miranda Isa Miranda (born Ines Isabella Sampietro; 5 July 1909 – 8 July 1982) was an Italian actress with an international film career. Biography Miranda was born Ines Isabella Sampietro in Milan, the daughter of atreet car conductor in Mian. When s ...

and a 1954 film ''

'' directed by

Giorgio Pastina Giorgio Pastina (1905–1956) was an Italian screenwriter and film director. He directed '' Henry IV'', a 1943 film version of Luigi Pirandello's '' Henry IV''.Anile, Alberto, '' Orson Welles in Italy'' (Indiana University Press, 2013), p. 94 S ...

and starring

Gino Cervi Luigi Cervi (3 May 1901 – 3 January 1974), better known as Gino Cervi (), was an Italian actor. He was best known for portraying Peppone in a series of comedies based on the character ''Don Camillo'' (1952-1965), and police detective Jules M ...

and

Nadia Gray Nadia Gray (born Nadia Kujnir; 23 November 1923 – 13 June 1994) was a Romanian film actress. Biography Gray was born into a Jewish family in Bucharest. Her father moved to Romania from Russia, and her mother was from Akkerman (Bessarabia). ...

.Goble p.704

References

Bibliography

* Goble, Alan. ''The Complete Index to Literary Sources in Film''. Walter de Gruyter, 1999. 1905 plays Italian plays adapted into films Italian plays Plays set in the 18th century Plays by Alfredo Testoni {{1900s-play-stub it:Il cardinale Lambertini