Lia Careddu performs the impossible monologue of the Nuns of Monza. Gertrude, the bewitching character to whom Alessandro Manzoni dedicates ample space in ‘The Betrothed’ also through a profound psychological characterization, is accompanied by her historical counterpart, a Spanish nun at the centre of some turbulent 17th century events.

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GERTRUDE e MARIA VITTORIA: «As a woman, I believe I was the only one in the world who has experienced the condition of mother and non-mother at the same time.
Like Gertrude, nun of Monza in “The Betrothed”, never pregnant.
No pregnancy, neither before nor during her nunhood.
In the reality of the historical facts of seventeenth century and Spanish Lombardy, I was Maria Vittoria, Sister Maria Vittoria, and as a nun I gave birth twice: one child born dead, and one born alive… but disappeared into thin air.
This or that, one or the other of us, we experienced a strong love affair with a nobleman who lived in the palace next to the convent.
It happened that he got me pregnant a couple of times as Maria Vittoria, instead as Gertrude never got pregnant. It is complicated, but what can I say?
We were also noblewomen and as novices we were called brides and betrothed of the Lord, and by that Lord they meant neither a Renzo nor a Don Rodrigo.
However, with our story, we got a nice part in “The Betrothed”.»

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