ACT 1

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Leipzig, March 25th, 1748

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A young artist named Enzio felt called upon to leave his birthplace and find the perfect circumstance to learn more about the profession of sculptor. The only thing he wanted, was to become a famous artist. On a late night he heard a voice who told him to come to Florence, and then he felt a great power of attraction. Driven by his will, he decided to leave behind his Italian family and in addition, all his possessions. Then he resolutely went to the city of Art, convinced his dream would come true. - "Make The Grade" -

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Florence, July, 1748

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Once arrived in Florence, Enzio moved into an old bottega, situated in the neighbourhood of Sante Groce, near the river the 'Arno'. On the first evening after he arrived, he got a vision when he was looking over the city, from out of his window.

- "Silhouette Of Monuments" -

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Full of inspiration by the beautiful monuments of Florence, Enzio started his career as a sculptor. Time went by and Enzio worked himself upwards to an important artist. His speciality lay in the art of sculpture, although he liked to paint as well. And so he got his first real important assignment from the town council of Florence. He would make big money if he could design and built a modern facade of the church of San Lorenzo in the middle of Florence. Enzio had a strange feeling about it, but remarkable enough, he couldn't explain why. But, because he needed the money so well, he finally contracted for the designing and building of a new modern facade. Enzio began to make his first sketches of the facade, just like the board of community has meant. Until deep into the night he worked on it. And yes, motivated as he was, it would become a modern piece of art. Not in accordance the artistic vision of Enzio, but that was at thís moment of a lower priority. First he had to make money to live an acceptable life, and to pay off his debts. Deep, deep into the night he tiredly fell asleep on his bed. That moment, down in the tombs of the San Lorenzo, there was something very strange going on. Then, that night, Enzio got a visit of a dual spirit of Michelangelo. -  " 'Day' &  'Night' " -

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Enzio understood that the modern assignment of the town council was not what the artistic Master of the fifteenth and sixteenth century has meant to be. That dreadful piece of modern architecture would be a terrible stain for the memory in people's mind. And it may absolutely not happen, that someone would remind his thoughts as this ugly thing. The facade of the church of San Lorenzo had always been an assignment in the life of Michelangelo. But because of several different reasons, he'd never been able to complete this important work of life. And now, Enzio realized, this was the chance to design and build a giant facade that should become, such as the Master would say: 

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'A Mirror of architecture, and the sculpture for whole Italy'. Now, with all the knowledge and genius of the Master himself it should become a successful undertaking and so, of course Enzio signs. But how, how would he convince the town council from his spiritual visit that night, knowing that decisions mainly, are made proceeding political interests. -  "The Blind One Leads The Way" -

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"Someone who got a visit from a ghost, didn't belong in this world, and he could even be a threat for the whole society". So Francesco Stefano, the reigning councillor of Florence didn't want to hear about the story of Enzio. He even feared for the consequences if he would comply with his request. Besides, he had other interests to look after, namely his own, which would keep him up in politics. All the more reason for him to say Enzio was a madman. And he decided to put him far away, there where he could do no harm, and what was called by the people 'The Darkened Madhouse'......

ACT II

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Florence, March, 1750

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Time went by and Enzio realized he made the wrong decision to tell about his spiritual visit. He was thinking a matter over the fact he had mistaken his vocation. He could have been a great artist but now, as caught in a web, full of doubts about himself, he had just killed the time by drawing sketches on the wall with a piece of chalk. In the meanwhile he still questioned why no one believed him. Or maybe, was there someone who did?  - "Tell Me ... " -

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Nearly for two years Enzio was forced to be admitted to the institution for mental disease. During that forced admission, fortunately there was one little bright spot, that eventually would decide the destiny of Enzio. The relation with the new nurse named Vittoria made the impossible, possible. When she saw the drawings on the wall she absolutely knew Enzio was not a madman. That's why she decided to take care that he was allowed to make real paintings and that he would get all the material he needed to create masterly works. Further the works he made had been sold by Vittoria in the centre of Florence. In the meanwhile it brought in such a lot of money that after a few months, amazingly, Vittoria was able to get him out. And so after two years of misery, the freedom of Enzio became reality. Now he could return to his old bottega, to start a new life, together with Vittoria. In such a long time, Enzio had never felt so good. 
At the day they walked out, (July 28th, 1750 ) he heard the bells toll. Why, why was that? Not yet in cause of his freedom? Back on their way to his old bottega, still questioning why, they walked among the church of Santa Maria Novella. Then they stood still for a better listening, listening to the music which came out from the wide opened doors of the church. That music sounded so familiar in his ears. And then Enzio realized a tragedy had arisen. He loved that music so well. A tragedy that really touched Enzio; in whole Europe the death of J.S. Bach was commemorated. -  "FuGA" - 

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Back in his abandoned bottega, an old mirror back in the corner of the room, attracted the attention of Enzio. And at that moment Enzio was taken by a strange perception. The two ghosts of Lorenzo de Medici; 'Dawn' and 'Twilight' hold up to him this mysterious mirror. In there they showed him the facets of the life of Michelangelo. They pointed him to the fact Enzio had to live like that and only in that way he would be able to create the new facade. They wanted him to remember the pact of two years ago. Now it was time to finish that masterpiece of work. - "Mirror Man" -

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A new dimension had come in the life of Enzio. A dimension of passion Enzio had never known before. That made it so much easier for him to make the choice to live with and for Vittoria, instead of living the life like Michelangelo did once before. He had to accept the consequences of his decision; all his artworks would be damned, and all his artistic qualities would be lost immediately. Never be able to make a kind of masterpiece. But Enzio realized, that in return he would get something more valuable than life itself. And now Enzio returned back to reality, and set his dream aside.  - "A Dream Left Behind" -

... and so the facade of the San Lorenzo will remain unfinished......forever?...

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