It is concerned with the public lives of the volatile inhabitants of a "campiello" in Venice and is sung in the local dialect (except for two Neapolitan roles).

Il campiello was first performed at La Scala, Milan, on 11 February 1936 under Gino Marinuzzi and as opera director Marcello Govoni.

They revived it in July 2001 under Marco Titotto, including some Italian singers from the 1992 Trieste production.

In one corner there is an inn where Astolfi (baritone role), an amiable Neapolitan gentleman, spendthrift, and ladies' man, is staying.

In the houses around the inn live a number of single women, all of them in search of men or husbands.

Gasparina (soprano) is a comically pretentious young woman who lives with her bookish uncle Fabrizio (baritone), also a Neapolitan as it turns out.

Luçieta's rival is another attractive girl called Gnese (soprano) who lives with her mother Dona Pasqua (tenor).

Gnese is in love with a boy called Zorzeto who also lives in the square with his mother Orsola (mezzo-soprano).

While Anzoleto is with Gnese, Astolfi renews his interest in Luçieta and encounters her mother Dona Cate.

The drinking party spreads onto the square but their high spirits once again turn into quarrelling before they return to the inn.

Astolfi concentrates his attention on Gasparina, while clutching the dinner bill in his hand and wondering how he is going to pay it.

Dona Cate suggests she can find a better son-in-law and Anzoleto tries to take back his ring, but Luçieta refuses to give it to him.

Il campiello has been recorded at least twice: by RAI in Milan under Ettore Gracis in 1963, and at a live performance at the Teatro Comunale Trieste under Niksa Bareza in 1992.