The Leopard
by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa
Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa - The Leopard
BBC Radio 3: Drama on 3
Broadcast: Sunday 11th May 2008 @ 8:00 p.m.
In 1957, Giuseppe Tomasi, Prince of Lampedusa, the last member of a great Sicilian family, died, childless, impoverished and
unknown, leaving behind him the recently completed manuscript of a novel. The following year, the novel, "The Leopard", was
published to acclaim and is now recognised as one of the finest works of 20th-century literature. Five years after its publication,
Luchino Visconti made his celebrated film, starring Burt Lancaster and Claudia Cardinale, which won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film
Festival.
"The Leopard" documents the changes in Sicilian society during the unification of Italy in 1860, through the eyes of an aristocratic family
headed by Don Fabrizio. He reflects nostalgically on the past as his family grows to maturity and Garibaldi's republican movement puts
an end to the feudal system and the traditions of the old bourgeoisie. Michael Hasting's new adaptation views the Prince through the
prism of his family, servants and his confessor, and takes the story to its conclusion, 20 years after Don Fabrizio's death.
Adapted for radio by Michael Hastings from Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa's 1958 novel, "The Leopard".
With Stanley Townsend [Don Fabrizio], Julie Legrand [Princess Stella / Concetta at 70], Claire Price [Concetta], Hayley Atwell
[Angelica], Tom Hiddleston [Tancredi], James Hayes [Father Pirrone], Tom Vaughan-Lawlor [Francesco / Carlo], Anthony O'Donnell
[Don Calogero / Chevalley], Joseph Alessi [Ciccio / Pallavicino / Priest], Harry McEntire [Giovanni], Claire Nielson [Angelica at 70],
and Billy Dudley, Beba Kang [Other Children].
Directed by Lucy Bailey.
Produced by Nicholas Newton
100 min.
Jim
