Act I. A small square in Naples, near the sea. _Carmela's_ house,

_Gennaro's_ smithy, an inn, and the little hut of _Biaso_, the scribe, among many other details. "It is the gorgeous afternoon of the festival of the Madonna, and the square swarms with a noisy crowd, rejoicing and celebrating the event with that strange mixture of carnival and superstition so characteristic of Southern Italy." This describes most aptly the gay, crowded scene, and the character of the music with which the opera opens. It is quite kaleidoscopic in its constant shifting of interest. At last many in the crowd follow a band, which has crossed the square.

_Gennaro_ in his blacksmith's shop is seen giving the finishing touches to a candelabra on which he has been working. He places it on the anvil, as on an altar, kneels before it, and sings a prayer to the Madonna--"Madonna, con sospiri" (Madonna, tears and sighing).

_Maliella_ rushes out of the house pursued by _Carmela_. She is a restless, wilful girl, possessed of the desire to get away from the restraint of the household and throw herself into the life of the city, however evil--a potential _Carmen_, from whom opportunity has as yet been withheld. Striking an attitude of bravado, and in spite of _Gennaro's_ protests, she voices her rebellious thoughts in the "Canzone di Cannetella,"--"Diceva Cannetella vedendosi inserata" (Thus sang poor Cannetella, who yearned and sighed for her freedom).

A crowd gathers to hear her. From the direction of the sea comes the chorus of the approaching Camorrists. _Maliella_ and the crowd dance wildly. When _Carmela_ reappears with a pitcher of water on her head, the wayward girl is dashing along the quay screaming and laughing.

_Carmela_ tells her son the brief story of _Maliella_. _Gennaro_ languished, when an infant. _Carmela_ vowed to the Madonna to seek an infant girl of sin begotten, and adopt her. "In the open street I found her, and you recovered." There is a touching duet for mother and son, in which _Carmela_ bids him go and pray to the Madonna, and _Gennaro_ asks for her blessing, before he leaves to do so. _Carmela_ then goes into the house.

_Maliella_ runs in. The Camorrists, _Rafaele_ in the van, are in pursuit of her. _Rafaele_, the leader of the band, is a handsome, flashy blackguard. When he advances to seize and kiss her, she draws a dagger-like hat pin. Laughing, he throws off his coat, like a duellist, grasps and holds her tightly. She stabs his hand, making it bleed, then throws away the skewer. Angry at first, he laughs disdainfully, then passionately kisses the wound. While the other Camorrists buy flowers from a passing flower girl and make a carpet of them, _Rafaele_ picks up the hat pin, kneels before _Maliella_, and hands it to her. _Maliella_ slowly replaces it in her hair, and then _Rafaele_, her arms being uplifted, sticks a flower she had previously refused, on her breast, where she permits it to remain. A few moments later she plucks it out and throws it away. _Rafaele_ picks it up, and carefully replaces it in his buttonhole. A little later he goes to the inn, looks in her direction, and raises his filled glass to her, just at the moment, when, although her back is toward him, a subtle influence compels her to turn and look at him.

Tolling of bells, discharge of mortars, cheers of populace, announce the approach of the procession of Madonna. While hymns to the Virgin are chanted, _Rafaele_ pours words of passion into _Maliella's_ ears. The image of the Virgin, bedecked with sparkling jewels--the jewels of the Madonna--is borne past. _Rafaele_ asseverates that for the love of _Maliella_ he would even rob the sacred image of the jewels and bedeck her with them. The superstitious girl is terrified.

_Gennaro_, who returns at that moment, warns her against _Rafaele_ as "the most notorious blackguard in this quarter," at the same time he orders her into the house. _Rafaele's_ mocking laugh infuriates him. The men seem about to fight. Just then the procession returns, and they are obliged to kneel. _Rafaele's_ looks, however, follow _Maliella_, who is very deliberately moving toward the house, her eyes constantly turning in the Camorrist's direction. He tosses her the flower she has previously despised. She picks it up, puts it between her lips, and flies indoors.