Nicolaes Witsen, the mayor of Amsterdam, who was an expert on both Russian affairs and on shipbuilding. In 1703, Peter the Great founded Saint Petersburg and in 1712 he married his second wife, a peasant of Livonia who succeeded the throne under the name of Catherine I. In 1717 he revisited Holland, and in March and August visited Zaandam again, this time accompanied by Catherine. Synopsis Place: Saardam, Holland Time: end of the 17th century Peter the Great pretends to be a carpenter in shipyards in Saardam and works with the Russian defector Flimann. Flimann is in humble condition and is desperate to marry Marietta, the daughter of the mayor. The mayor, knowing that the Tsar has come to town in disguise, becomes convinced that Flimann is Peter the Great. Meanwhile, the true tsar is called home to quell a revolt and has to reveal his true identity. Before leaving, he gives Flimann a high title, which will enable him to marry his Marietta. Recordings References Notes Cited sources Other sources Allitt, John Stewart (1991), Donizetti: in the light of Romanticism and the teaching of Johann Simon Mayr, Shaftesbury: Element Books, Ltd (UK); Rockport, MA: Element, Inc.(USA) Ashbrook, William (1998), "Donizetti, Gaetano" in Stanley Sadie (Ed.), The New Grove Dictionary of Opera, Vol. One. London: MacMillan Publishers, Inc. Ashbrook, William and Hibberd, Sarah (2001). "Gaetano Donizetti" in Amanda Holden (ed.), The New Penguin Opera Guide, 2001, pp. 224–247. Black, John (1982), Donizetti's Operas in Naples, 1822—1848. London: The Donizetti Society. Loewenberg, Alfred (1970). Annals of Opera, 1597-1940, 2nd edition. Rowman and Littlefield Sadie, Stanley, editor (1992). The New Grove Dictionary of Opera (4 volumes). London: Macmillan. . Timms, Colin (1992). "Casaccia" in Sadie 1992, vol. 1, pp. 749–750. External links Donizetti Society (London) website Operas by Gaetano Donizetti Italian-language operas Operas set in the Netherlands 1827 operas Operas Operas set in the 17th century Cultural depictions of Peter the Great Operas based on plays