A Rough Guide

We start in Venice, "after an unusually wet season".  Gondoliers and the people of Venice are carousing.  Our heroes, Marco and Guiseppe are selecting brides ultimately Tessa and Gianetta.

We the meet the Spanish Duke of Plaza-Toro bringing his daughter (Casilda) to marry the son of the King of Barataria.  By the way, Casilda is in love with Luiz the Duke's attendant.

We find, to our surprise and indignation, that we don't know where, or more specifically who, the Prince is.  The Grand Inquisitor is investigating and has determined that the son, is, in fact either Marco or Giuseppe, who have by now married Tessa and Gianetta!

The Inquisitor has a plan - to discover who is who and takes and luckless Gondoliers away to a Sunny Shore to reign jointly until the problem is resolved.

Fun and confusion abound with Tessa and Gianetta reappearing and Casilda not impressed by the whole proceedings.

Eventual Inez, the prince's foster mother is found and reveals that the Prince is, in fact Luiz!