- A small duchy by the ocean, at the end of the 1600s. It is a kingdom of stone and water, crumbling under the weight of time and melancholy. The Duke Gonzagues, lord of the city, is a man just out of disinterest, tolerant out of inertia. He has no character or passions; only the pleasures of the body, the young virgins, manage to distract him for a moment from the boredom that consumes him. His court thrives on envy and gossip, while in the lower city, the markets bubble with tempting and secret goods. Only the clocks seem alive in the halls of the palace.
- From Poland comes Arturo, and imperceptibly something changes. The new "lord of time" requests to reside in the palace, imposes his own rules, brings rigor and presence. His skill captivates the court, the lower city, and the duke. (Einaudi)
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