Neapolitan Dance at the Ancient Forum of Pompeii

A funny thing happened on the way to the Forum: a lively tarantella for the tourists

WKL Dickson filmed this scene on a tour of Italian destinations on his way to Rome to film the Pope in 1898. Among the ruins of Pompeii, some kind of public performance is underway, featuring a traditional Italian tarantella, with some of the dancers dressed as soldiers. A man in a suit and hat is directing the proceedings, so it would seem to be part of a narrative piece - perhaps an opera company?