Someone on this board some months ago was so friendly posting a fine synopis of piazza which I saved for myself. And there it is:
The Light in the Piazza
Act One
Florence, Italy Summer of 1953.
Margaret Johnson and her daughter Clara, natives of Winston-Salem North Carolina, are vacationing in Florence for the summer. For Margaret, this trip is a return to the site of her honeymoon. Sitting in the city’s central piazza and armed with her Baedeker, Margaret explains the sights of the city to Clara (Statues and Stories). A strong gust of wind blows Clara’s hat from her head and into the hands of Fabrizio Nacarelli. He returns the hat to its beautiful owner and is instantly smitten. Clara is equally charmed by the handsome Fabrizio. The two struggle to communicate, he in broken English and Clara in non-existent Italian. Fabrizio invites her to visit him at his father’s tie shop. Margaret thanks him and sends him brusquely on his way.
Later that day Clara and Margaret are touring one of the museums. Clara, who is more interested in seeing the boy from the piazza again than in art, is struck by one of the naked marble statues. She reflects on art, Italy, the boy she met in the piazza and the wonderful new feelings their meeting has stirred within her (The Beauty Is). Fabrizio shows up in the museum, surprising Clara. Just as Fabrizio invites Clara to have a drink in a café, Margaret thanks him very much but declines the offer. Clara is furious with her mother, but Margaret insists she knows best.
Fabrizio has fallen completely in love with Clara, and on his way to his father’s tie shop, sings of his infatuation. (Il Mondo Era Vuoto). At the shop, Fabrizio’s father and brother Giuseppe, make fun of the lovesick Fabrizio. Giusseppe gives him fashion advice as well as advice on how to make an American girl fall for him. According to Giuseppe it’s all in the dance moves which he demonstrates for Fabrizio (American Dancing).
The next day, Clara and Margaret are in the piazza when they happen upon Fabrizio again. This time however, he has brought along his charming father to run interference for him with Margaret. Signor Nacarelli invites Margaret to have a drink in a café with him, while Fabrizio asks Clara to take a walk with him (Passeggiata). Signor Nacarelli, invites Margaret and Clara to dinner to meet the rest of the Nacarelli family. Margaret finally gives in and agrees.
At the Nacarelli home, Margaret and Clara meet Fabrizio’s mother as well as Giuseppe and his wife Franca. It is apparent Giuseppe has a wandering eye and Franca offers to give Clara a tour of the Nacarelli’s house. While the two women are alone, Franca offers Clara insight on love as she sees it (The Joy You Feel). Back in the other room, there is much talk between the parents about the two youngsters and how much they seem to care for each other. Margaret decides to finally put an end to this and announces there is something she must tell them about Clara. “Clara is…” Margaret begins and then, catching herself, continues “… a special child”. She leaves it at that.
Back at the hotel, Margaret phones her husband Roy in North Carolina. She tells Roy about Clara’s romance and it falls upon deaf ears. Roy insists that Margaret put an end to it and come back to the States at once. Margaret hangs up. It is clear that she and Roy are no longer in love and she wonders if they ever were. How did her life end up like this? (Dividing Day).
Fabrizio sends Clara a note asking her to meet him at midnight in the garden at the Museo. Clara attempts to follow his directions but quickly becomes lost. She is approached by several shady characters offering help but she is terrified and collapses in the street. Luckily, Margaret has noticed her disappearance and it right behind her. She takes her back to the hotel and puts her to bed (Hysteria). Once Clara is calmed down Margaret retires to the hotel bar for a nightcap.
Fabrizio (who has a friend who works at the hotel) appears in Clara’s room. He was concerned that she didn’t show up for their meeting. Alone, in the moonlight filled room, the two find a way to express their love for each other (Say it Somehow). As the song reaches its climax, Margaret returns and discovers the pair together in Clara’s bed. End of Act One
Act Two
Several weeks have passed and Margaret has taken Clara on a side excursion to Rome. Clara is inconsolable at having been separated from Fabrizio. Back in Florence, Fabrizio is similarly distraught. (Aiutami).
Clara pleads with her mother to let her return to Florence and Fabrizio. She is in love. Margaret dismisses her protestation as silliness. Clara asks her mother how she can tell her she isn’t in love when she knows nothing about love herself. She has noticed her mother’s own loveless marriage and she wants something more for herself (The Light in the Piazza). Confronted and unable to argue with her daughter’s insight, the pair return to Florence.
Plans for a wedding between Clara and Fabrizio are underway. Clara is being instructed in catechism for the Catholic mass during a dinner at the Nacarelli home. Franca, who is angry at Giuseppe for coming home late again the night before, flirtatiously kisses Fabrizio. Seeing this, Clara flies into a jealous rage (Octet). Margaret is left to smooth things over.
At the wedding rehearsal, the couple is asked to fill out paperwork for the marriage license. Signor Nacarelli glances over Clara’s shoulder as she fills out her form. He is astonished. He grabs the form from her, furious, and informs Fabrizio that the wedding is off. The Nacarelli’s leave and Clara and Margaret are left stunned. Margaret realizes the secret is now out. At the age of 12 Clara was kicked in the head by a pony. The resulting injury has left her with the mental capacity of a 10 year old. So while she is 26 years old, she is still very much a child. Margaret sings of the guilt she has over not being there to protect her child (The Beauty Is – Reprise).
Margaret goes to see Signor Nacarelli at his shop to try to repair things. She tries everything, even offering to add more money (which would come out of her personal savings) to Clara’s dowry. She tries to explain Clara’s poor handwriting on the form but Signor Nacarelli will hear nothing of it. His son is 20 years old and he will under no circumstances marry a woman of 26! He is forbidden to marry an older woman. Margaret is stunned (and very much relieved).
Signor Nacarelli offers to walk Margaret back to the hotel (Let’s Walk). Who are they to stand in the way of love? Signor Nacarelli kisses Margaret and leaves.
The day of the wedding at the hotel, Margaret is on the phone with Roy. They argue over the nuptials, and Margaret tells Roy she was never in love with him. Clara overhears the conversation and for the first time hears her mother describe what makes Clara so “special”. This confuses Clara as she has never really realized there was something wrong with her and she flees the hotel (Clara’s Interlude).
Fabrizio finds Clara. She tells him something is wrong with her, she doesn’t understand it but something is wrong. Fabrizio wipes her tears away and says she is perfection to him and nothing else matters. (Love to Me).
The wedding takes place. Watching her daughter get married from a distance, Margaret expresses her emotions (Fable). Even though she herself has never known love, Margaret loves her daughter dearly and she wants her to love and be loved. As the song ends, Signor Nacarelli comes to bring Margaret to join the others. She sings Clara her wish for her “May it last forever – The Light in the Piazza”.
Most likely this can be found as well with the search button
Jay
