Gianni Schicchi

Act 1
The wealthy Florentine Buoso Donati has just died. His relatives crowd around his deathbed like vultures. They pretend to mourn; but their greed overtakes them, and soon they search for Buoso's will. Rinuccio finds the will and Zita, his aunt, reads it. The Donatis' worst fears are realized: Buoso has left everything to a monastery.

In order to acquire Buoso's wealth, Rinuccio suggests that his relatives call upon Gianni Schicchi, a clever peasant who is also the father of Lauretta, with whom Rinuccio is in love. The relatives are reluctant to do business with a low-class peasant, but Rinuccio points out that even the great city of Florence had humble origins. For his part, Schicchi is adverse to becoming involved in underhanded dealings, but Lauretta, whom he loves very much, pleads with him and wins him over.

Schicchi contrives a plot. He offers to impersonate the dead man. The news of Buoso's imminent death has spread throughout the city, and Schicchi first tricks the doctor by imitating Buoso's voice, then listens to what each relative wants of the riches, and promises to create a new will accordingly. He makes it very clear to the relatives that anyone conspiring to change a will loses a hand and is banished from Florence.

In the guise of Buoso, Schicchi dictates a new will to a lawyer, but instead of naming the relatives, leaves the most valued items to himself. The relatives are horrified. There is nothing they can do: Schicchi has already pointed out to them their possible punishment. The maddened relatives steal what they can, and Schicchi chases them out of the house. As Rinuccio and Lauretta speak of their love for each other, Schicchi offers the rest of Buoso's wealth to them and begs the audience's indulgence for changing Buoso's will.