SYNOPSIS

 

Act 1
Scene 1
A terrace in the early evening, we are introduced to the astronomer Ecclitico and his four assistants. Ecclitico wishes to marry Clarice, elder daughter of the gullible and overprotective Buonafede. A knight, Ernesto wishes to marry Buonafede’s other daughter Flaminia, and Ernesto’s servant Cecco wishes to marry Buonafede’s maidservant Lisetta. Although Buonafede doesn’t let his daughters marry Ernesto and Ecclitico, and wishes to keep Lisetta to himself for purposes of his own lechery.  Ecclitico hatches a plan for himself, Cecco, and Ernesto to all marry who they love and to pick up some of Buonafede’s money. He convinces Buonafede that he has a telescope that can see to the inside of the moon, and lets Buonafede watch a manufactured glimpse of life on the ‘moon’, where women appear to be compliant and there is good natured mischief for all. Buonafede is absolutely taken with this.
Scene 2
In Buonafede’s house, Flaminia and Clarice have left their rooms against their father’s wishes to discuss their desires for marriage.  When Buonafede comes home, Flaminia flees, by Clarice tries to argue with him to let his daughters marry (unsuccessfully). Lisetta enters and puts up with his many advances.
Ecclitico arrives at Buonafede’s house to give his goodbyes - he gives the story that he has been summoned by the emperor of the moon to live there. In a series of increasingly implausible facts that Buonafede swallows, Ecclitico states that he has a bottle of elixir that will allow him to float to the moon. Buonafede naturally begs to partake of this. While only pretending to drink, Ecclitico gives Buonafede a full dose of the elixir which sends him into a relaxed compliant state followed by sleep. Flaminia and Clarice enter, and thinking that their father is dying, show momentary woe, but quickly have their spirits changed when Ecclitico finds a will revealing large cash payments left to them.

Act 2
With the assistance of Ernesto and Cecco, along with Ecclitico’s colleagues, a paddock is converted into a moonscape. After meeting the moon star ‘Hesperus’ (Ernesto) and the emperor of the moon(Cecco), Buonafede is kept from walking away to discover the plot by a series of echoes by Ecclitico’s colleagues. At the wishes of Buonafede and the emperor, Buonafede’s daughters are transported to ‘the moon’ and Lisetta appears blindfolded, kidnapped by Ecclitico (and unaware of the situation). Possibly due to her confusion, Lisetta briefly relents to the advances of Buonafede, but to Buonafede’s dismay, she is offered the throne by the Emperor (Cecco). After considering the plausibility of the situation, decides to take the offer, trusting the face of Cecco as her lover. Buonafede’s daughters arrive, and are to marry their respective lovers on the moon. Buonafede shows protest at his daughter’s marriages, but is berated by the emperor for his practice of sub lunar customs and so he relents. Trying to get the most out of the situation, Ecclitico, Ernesto and Cecco try and get some money from Buonafede, but eventually the ruse is revealed and he chases everyone away in a rage.

Act 3
The furious Buonafede is taken back to the observatory. Upon witnessing the remorsefulness of his daughters, and everyone’s happiness with their loves, he realizes the error of his ways as a father, and forgives everyone. Ecclitico and Clarice express their feelings in a moving love duet, before everyone gathers for a party with the approaching dawn, concluding the opera.