The Turk in Italy (1992)

The poet, Prosdocimo, has been trying in vain to write an opera libretto. Late one night, as he falls into a fitful sleep, he dreams of an ocean beach and a group of gypsies who help him develop a plot.

Fiorilla is married to an older man, Geronio; she also has a lover, Narciso. She is bored with both of them. When the powerful Turkish pasha, Selim, arrives, she flirts with him. Her husband and her lover are dismayed, but are too much in awe of the Pasha to challenge him—and too afraid of Fiorilla to confront her.

The Pasha does not know that his former fiancée, Zaida, and her servant, Albazar, are in disguise and hiding with the Poet’s gypsy muses. The Poet reunites the Pasha and Zaida and all goes well until Fiorilla enters, seductively dressed as Cupid’s mistress, and re-enchants the Pasha. Zaida, in a fury, challenges her. Geronio panics, Narciso stews, the Pasha is caught between the two fighting ladies, and the Poet is enraptured at the exciting developments in his libretto.

With the help of some wine, the Poet encourages Geronio to confront his wife about her affair. The Pasha interrupts; and they argue vehemently about who will eventually win Fiorilla. Fiorilla, meanwhile, tries to force the Pasha to choose between her and Zaida. Horrified at the Pasha’s indecision, Zaida gathers her dignity and leaves, and Fiorilla and the Pasha agree to run off together that night during a masked party. The Poet, however, arranges for Geronio to be disguised as the Pasha and attend the party to reveal Fiorilla’s betrayal — and after a series of developments too complicated to describe, all the lovers are eventually reunited.

The Poet has finished his libretto and is drifting off to sleep when he is startled by an odd noise in his room…