The Fabulist

Italy, 1929. Illusionist-extraordinaire and outlawed heretic Julian finds himself on the run from
Mussolini and the Catholic church. Stumbling upon a film shoot, he dazzles screenwriter Clarice with his magical skills and easygoing charm. But how can you trust a man whose life is built on illusion? And what will happen as the regime closes in on him?

Giovanni Paisiello, one of the most famous composers of his time ((1740-1816), was famed for his
bubbly, colourful and fun-filled operettas. Combining some of his most sublime music with a brand new libretto, The Fabulist is both a forgotten classic and a modern tale of romance and self-discovery.

The Fabulist, with book and lyrics by James Farwell, is based on Paisiello’s opera The Imaginary
Astrologer, Catherine the Great’s favourite, written specially for her. Paisiello, who heavily influenced Rossini but with a lighter tone, was the favourite composer of both Catherine and Napoleon, for whom he composed Coronation music.