Il turco in Italia (English: The Turk in Italy) is an opera buffa in two acts by Gioachino Rossini.

It was a re-working of a libretto by Caterino Mazzolà set as an opera (with the same title) by the German composer Franz Seydelmann [de] in 1788.

An opera buffa, it was influenced by Mozart's Così fan tutte, which was performed at the same theatre shortly before Rossini's work.

The strangely harmonized overture, though infrequently recorded, is one of the best examples of Rossini's characteristic style.

An unusually long introduction displays an extended, melancholy horn solo with full orchestral accompaniment, before giving way to a lively, purely comic main theme.

In 1955 Callas again starred as Fiorilla, this time at the Teatro alla Scala where the opera was produced by Franco Zeffirelli.

By the sea shore near Naples The poet Prosdocimo (baritone) is searching for a plot for a drama buffo.

He meets a band of Gypsies, including the beautiful but unhappy Zaida (mezzo-soprano) and her confidant Albazar (tenor).

Prosdocimo's friend, the obstinate and sometimes foolish Geronio (bass), is looking for a fortune teller to advise him on his marital problems, but the Gypsies tease him.

She and her master, Prince Selim, were in love, but jealous rivals accused her of infidelity and she had to flee for her life, accompanied by Albazar.

Geronio's capricious young wife Fiorilla (soprano) enters singing (in contrast to Zaida) of the joys of free and unfettered love.

The domestic menage irritates Selim and he leaves after quietly arranging to meet Fiorilla again by his ship.

Prosdocimo advises Geronio to have his revenge on Fiorilla by pretending to divorce her and threatening to send her back to her family.

The beach Selim and Zaida are about to set sail for Turkey, while Fiorilla is looking for a boat to take her back to her home town.