Gianni Schicchi - Historical Background

Historical Background

A man named Gianni Schicchi is only briefly referred to in Dante's Inferno Canto XXX. In that canto, Dante visits the Circle of Impersonators, and sees a man savagely attacking another. Dante is told that the attacker is Schicchi, condemned to Hell for making the will of Buoso Donati highly favorable to Schicchi while impersonating him.

The plot used in the opera derives from an 1866 edition of The Divine Comedy by philologist Pietro Fanfani, which contained an appendix with a commentary on Dante's work attributed to an anonymous Florentine of the 14th century. In this version, Buoso wishes to make a will, but is put off by his son, Simone. Once it is too late, Simone fears that Buoso, before his illness, may have made a will unfavourable to him. Simone calls on Schicchi for advice, and Schicchi has the idea of impersonating Buoso and making a new will. Simone promises Schicchi he will be well rewarded, but Schicchi takes no chances, "leaving" a considerable sum and Buoso's mule to himself (though most goes to Simone), and makes the bequests conditional on Simone's distributing the estate within fifteen days, otherwise everything will go to charity.

Both Schicchi and Buoso Donati were historical characters. Dante's verses, and the opera, are based on an actual incident that took place in 13th century Florence. Dante had several reasons for his harsh treatment of Schicchi: Dante's wife, Gemma, was of the Donati family; the poet himself was of pure Florentine descent. He despised members of the peasant class such as Schicchi. Dante's class prejudice displays itself in several episodes in the Inferno; in one, three noble Florentines, who have died and gone to Hell, ask Dante for news of their home city. A disgusted Dante tells them that the city is now dominated by the nouveau riche.

According to Burton Fisher, Puccini and Forzano borrowed heavily from the commedia dell'arte tradition in Gianni Schicchi. Schicchi himself recalls the roguish Harlequin, while his daughter Lauretta, whose romance is nearly foiled by Buoso's relatives, resembles Columbina. Simone is drawn from Pantaloon, while the poverty-stricken Betto recalls the buffoonish valet Zany. Doctor Spinelloccio recalls the classic doctor from the commedia dell'arte, Balanzone even to his Bolognese origin. The Moor whose death momentarily scares the relatives, and his captain are stock characters from commedia dell'arte.