Benvenuto Cellini

Storyline

Act 1 – Shrove Monday
The papal treasurer Balducci is upset that the Pope’s comission to cast a statue of Perseus has gone to Benvenuto Cellini and not to the pontiff ’s personal sculptor Fieramosca. After Balducci, being summoned by the Pope, has left the house, his daughter Teresa stands by the window, listening to a jaunty Carnival song sung by Cellini and his friends. She falters between her feelings for Cellini, who she is secretly in love with, and her obedience to her father, who wants her to marry Fieramosca. Teresa receives Cellini in her room. Together they decide to flee the city on Shrove Tuesday in disguise. But their plan is eavesdropped on by the jealous Fieramosca. Soon afterward, Balducci returns and Cellini and Fieramosca are both forced to hide. While Cellini is able to escape, Balducci discovers the eavesdropper and boils with rage.

Act 2 – Carnival Tuesday
Happy in love with Teresa, Cellini meets up with his friends and pupils in the tavern to carouse. When the proprietor asks him to pay the bill for the baccanal, Cellini discovers that his wallet is empty. His apprentice Ascanio brings Cellini money from the Pope, who has granted an advance on the condition that Cellini complete the Perseus statue by the following day. Cellini gives his word and the carousal is paid for. But Cellini and his friends are angry that the papal treasurer has only given such a small amount and decide to play a trick on him. Fieramosca has meanwhile told his friend Pompeo about Cellini and Teresa’s escape plan. They want to thwart this by appearing in the same disguise as Cellini and Ascanio, making it impossible for Teresa to distinguish between them. In the midst of the hustle and bustle of the Carnival, Teresa, accompanied by her father, is plagued with guilt about the impending elopement, while Cellini and Ascanio are pleased that the show at Cassandro’s theater is about to begin. At this play the papal treasurer is ruthlessly satirized. Outraged, he decides to take revenge on the authors. As Cellini and Ascanio approach Teresa, Fieramosca and Pompep appear in the same disguise at the same time. A bloody confrontation ensues, during which Cellini stabs Pompeo. Cellini is initially grabbed by the people, but manages to escape when cannon shots herald the end of the Carnival, giving rise to a great commotion. Panicked, the people search for the murderer and seize Fieramosca, whom they mistake for Cellini because of his disguise.

Act 3 – Ash Wednesday 
Teresa talks to Ascanio about the previous day’s events. Both are happy to see Cellini return unscathed. Because of the murder, he now wants to flee with Teresa immediatly, without completing the Pope’s comission. But no escape takes place, as Balducci confronts Cellini and assails his daughter

with reproaches. Furious he tells Teresa and the approaching Fieramosca that they will be getting married today. Pope Clement VII witnesses the turmoil and orders, that someone else is to complete the Perseus statue. But when Cellini threatens to destroy his model, the pontiff grants the sculptor a grace period and even impunity. Cellini agrees, but he also demands Teresa’s hand. The pope grants his wish. The artist immediately sets to work. However, since the metal runs out, he melts all the statues in his workshop. Thus Cellini achieves the impossible: the Perseus statue is cast, his murderous act is forgiven, he is permitted to take Teresa as his wife and is triumphantly celebrated by the people and the clergy as an ingenious artist.