Continuing Giuseppe Di Lampedusa's masterpiece of European political fiction, translated by Archibald Colquhoun, abridged by Sara Davies and read by Alex Jennings.
By Giuseppe Di Lampedusa, translated by Archibald Colquhoun and read by Alex Jennings.
'The Leopard' draws us into world of Don Fabrizio Corbera, the Prince of Salina. It is set in Sicily, during the Risorgimento; the unification of Italy. An irresistible giant of a man whose hands are like paws and who makes the ground tremble when he rises to his feet, the Prince is clear-eyed, intelligent and languid, aptly represented by the leopard on his coat of arms.
Don Fabrizio is about the business of preserving what remains of his family’s feudal power in a period of political turmoil. He realises their best hope lies in his charming and resourceful nephew, Tancredi, who knows that "everything must change so that everything can stay the same".
Abridged in five parts across New Year's Day, The Leopard is a masterpiece of European political fiction: beguiling, beautiful and subtle, evoking a centuries-old way of life on the cusp of change.
Episode 3: The family have arrived at their summer estate, Donnafugata. Concetta has confessed her love of Tancredi to her father, but Don Fabrizio knows that Tancredi needs a wife with money.
Reader...Alex Jennings
Abridged by Sara Davies
Producer...Mary Ward-Lowery
Last on
Broadcast
- New Year's Day 2019 12:30Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4