"1. Introduction, Scene, and ." Ser Matteo, the tailor, sits in front of his house sewing and silently reading. He becomes more animated and begins to read aloud in Italian the story of the illicit love of Paolo and Francesca from the Fifth Canto of Dante's "Inferno". Ironically, through a window above, Arlecchino can be seen making love to Matteo's beautiful young wife, Annunziata. Matteo thinks of Don Juan as he contemplates the prospect of the two lovers being condemned to hell, and the orchestra softly quotes the "Champagne Aria" from Mozart's "Don Giovanni". Finishing with Annunziata, Arlecchino leaps from the window, landing in front of Matteo, and recites the next line from Dante: "Quel giorno più non vi leggemmo avanti" ("We read no more that day"). He quickly tells the confused tailor, that war has broken out, and the barbarians are at the gate. Grabbing the tailor's scissors to hoist his coat as a banner, Arlecchino filches the house key from a pocket, and hustling Matteo inside, locks the door. Soon after he departs, from off-stage, we hear him singing an extended and defiant "la-la-le-ra!"