April 30 and May 2, 2003
Agnes de Mille Theatre, Winston Salem, NC

May 9 and 11, 2003
A.J. Fletcher Opera Theatre, Raleigh, NC

SYNOPSIS:
Act I: Fracasso and Simone have been visiting two well-to-do but eccentric brothers, Don Cassandro and Don Polidoro, at their estate. They discuss the brothers with their sister, Giacinta, and her maid, Ninetta. Cassandro, it turns out, is a miser and a woman-hater. Polidoro, the younger of the two, is a simpleton.

Fracasso would like to marry Giacinta, but first he must obtain permission from Cassandro, whose bluff, blustering personality intimidates almost everyone. Ninetta suggests an indirect approach: Permission might be more easily extracted from Cassandro if he himself were to fall in love. The object of his attention, she suggests, could be Fracasso's sister, Rosina, who is due to arrive at any moment. The four go off to work out the details of their plan.

Cassandro protests to Fracasso when he learns of Rosina's impending visit, and lets on that he's heard that Rosina is simple-minded. Unlike his brother, Polidoro desires a wife. So when Rosina arrives, he wastes no time and asks Rosina to marry him at once. Rosina demurs. If Polidoro wants to woo her, she says, it must be in "the French way": First, there must be a visit; then a note; then a gift. When Cassandro comes to pay his respects, he decides to see just how "simple" Rosina is. He asks whether he should speak in verse or prose. "Oh dear!" she replies. "Neither!" Despite this inauspicious beginning, Cassandro is smitten and very nearly gives her his prized diamond ring as a keepsake.

Rosina confides to Fracasso and Ninetta that she will marry the brother who pleases her the most.

Polidoro accosts Rosina in her room: He has the required note and gift, and wishes to propose. Rosina, shocked to find him there, spurns his advances and takes advantage of Cassandro's entrance by asking again for his ring. Cassandro reluctantly parts with it, and invites everyone to stay for dinner. That way, he can keep an eye on the ring.

Act II : Simone and Ninetta wait while the others have dinner. Giacinta appears with the news that Cassandro and Fracasso have imbibed too much wine and are at each other's throats. Simone goes to break up the fight.

Polidoro again attempts to propose to Rosina but, before he has a chance, Cassandro enters and chases him off. Rosina refuses to talk to Cassandro because he "stinks of wine." If he wishes to communicate, she says, he must sit on the opposite side of the room and use sign language. He does. She replies with arbitrary gestures that mean nothing. He signs that he wants her to marry him; she makes signs at random in return. The wine finally goes to Cassandro's head and he falls asleep. Rosina places the ring back on his finger; he wakes up. In response to his questions, she insists that she loves both him and Polidoro equally, then leaves. Fracasso enters, and he and Cassandro renew their argument. This time it escalates into a duel. Cassandro is clearly frightened and complains that he is at a disadvantage: The sun is in his eyes, the wind is in his face, and his sword is the shorter of the two. Fracasso changes sides and trades weapons, but to no avail. Cassandro runs away. Rosina returns to tell Fracasso that she will marry Cassandro. Fracasso, for his part, is delighted to discover that Cassandro is afraid of him and declares that he will marry Giacinta at the first opportunity.

Total confusion becomes the order of the day. Cassandro returns, pursuing his brother with a stick. Rosina pretends to faint. Everyone is brought up short when Fracasso enters and announces that Giacinta has run away with the brothers' fortune. Fracasso offers to pursue her, for a price: If he finds her, the brothers must let him take her as his bride. They agree, and as further incentive they offer the money Giacinta has taken as her dowry. Then Simone brings more bad news: Ninetta has absconded with the remaining household valuables. Rosina suggests that the person who finds her should be allowed to marry her. The brothers agree, and Simone gallantly volunteers. He and Fracasso exit. Those remaining bring the act to a close with a rousing chorus.

Act III: It doesn't take long for everything to get sorted out during this act, the shortest of the opera. Simone and Fracasso go to Ninetta and Giacinta who, of course, have not run away but are just playing out their part of the plan.

Meanwhile, Rosina tells Cassandro that she will marry him; together they tease poor Polidoro, who arrives to make one last stab at a proposal. "Oh, what a bridegroom!" they laugh. "Boohoo!" Polidoro cries. Simone, Ninetta, Fracasso and Giacinta join Cassandro and Rosina, and together they wrap everything up with a final chorus.