''Franca Florio, regina di Palermo'' is a full-length narrative ballet in two acts, with music by

Lorenzo Ferrero Lorenzo Ferrero (; born 1951) is an Italian composer, librettist, author, and book editor. He started composing at an early age and has written over a hundred compositions thus far, including twelve operas, three ballets, and numerous orchestral ...

and scenario, choreography and staging by Luciano Cannito. A commission by the Teatro Massimo in Palermo, the work premiered there on 22 November 2007 with Carla Fracci in the title role, and was restaged in June 2010. Set in Sicily, the story is based on the life of Franca Jacona Notarbartolo di San Giuliano (1873-1950), a famous Sicilian aristocrat whose beauty inspired many artists, musicians, and poets during the

Belle Époque The Belle Époque or La Belle Époque (; French for "Beautiful Epoch") is a period of French and European history, usually considered to begin around 1871–1880 and to end with the outbreak of World War I in 1914. Occurring during the era ...

, who retraces the highlights of her life from her retreat on the island of Favignana. Her past is explored chronologically, by means of extensive flashbacks of events. The Florio's story, replete with worldly success but also with tragic events, is in part the metaphor of the failure of the industrial development in Sicily at the beginning of the twentieth century.

Roles

The ballet employs a large '' corps de ballet'' and the lead, solo and minor roles are numerous. The Florio family: Franca Florio; Ignazio Florio, Jr; Giovanna Florio, their daughter; the mother of Ignazio. The Florios' guests: Wilhelm II, German Emperor; Empress Augusta Victoria; King Edward VII of England; Queen Alexandra; Russian prince; Russian princess. Other characters: Vera Arrivabene; Giovanni Boldini; Colombina; the mother, father, and the cousins of Franca. Foreign aristocrats, priest, personal assistants, butler, servants, fishermen, children, croupiers, men and women at the Casino. Source:

Synopsis and structure

List of acts and musical numbers, with their synopsis:

References

Notes Sources * Cancila, Orazio. (2008). ''I Florio: Storia di una dinastia imprenditoriale siciliana''. Rome: Bompiani.
Teatro Massimo website

Casa Ricordi presentation

External links

Casa Ricordi catalogue

''Franca Florio'' excerpt on YouTube, Act II, Scene 2

''Franca Florio'' excerpt on YouTube, Act II, Scene 10
{{Ballet premieres Ballets by Lorenzo Ferrero 2007 ballet premieres Ballets based on actual events Cultural depictions of Italian women Cultural depictions of socialites Florio family Belle Époque

Roles

Synopsis and structure

See also

References

External links