The scene is set in Pantalone de’ Bisognosi’s home. He is a rich and old Venetian merchant and his daughter, Clarice, is about to marry Silvio, Doctor Lombardi’son, because her former fiancè Federigo Rasponi, a wealthy man from Turin, was killed in a fight by the hand of Florindo Aretusi, who was in love with Federigo’s sister, Beatrice. The wedding ceremony which is attended by Clarice’s young maid, Smeraldina, and the local innkeeper, Brighella, it is suddenly interrupted by Arlecchino, who announces that his master, the real Federigo Rasponi is coming and his arrival surprises and upsets all the guests.

Actually, it is Federigo’s sister Beatrice disguised as her dead brother and just arrived in Venice and looking for her beloved Florindo, who is wanted for murder. The best man Brighella recognises Beatrice immediately, because she used to be his previous mistress in Turin, but he doesn’t expose her and he even invites her to stay at the inn he manages. Meanwhile, Arlecchino is starving and, in order to double his wage, accepts to serve Florindo, who is staying at Brigella’s inn as well. Pantalone is forced to give Clarice’s hand in marriage to the one he believes to be Federigo, enraging Doctor Lombardi.

At the same time Beatrice reveals her real identity to Clarice, making her promise to keep her secret and, when Silvio starts threatening to hurt Pantalone, she challenges him to a duel and defeats him. Silvio, mad with jealousy, disowns his love for Clarice, while the young lady herself starts to have doubts about her beloved Federigo. Arlecchino struggles trying to juggle between filling the orders of two masters at the same time and hile keeping on courting Smeraldina, causing a hilarious mess.

In order to save his own skin, Arlecchino is ultimately forced to convince each of his masters that the other one is dead, plunging them into despair. The two of them decide to take their own life, but right in the moment they are about to commit the act they meet and recognise each other. In this way, Pantalone uncovers the deceit and manages to persuade Silvio to go back to Clarice. The show ends with a triple wedding between Clarice and Silvio, Beatrice and Florindo and Smeraldina and Arlecchino, who, in order to win his beloved, is forced to reveal his scheme.

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