
The Count and Countess cling to the stability of the past, while their servants look to the future. With clashing fashions and ideas, our New Romantics wrangle with the ‘original’ romantics. Susanna and Figaro are determined to enjoy their wedding day, dodging obstacles presented by those who refuse to move with the times.
Synopsis
As they prepare for their wedding, Susanna tells Figaro that their master, the Count Almaviva, has been making advances towards her. They decide to outwit his schemes. Marcellina and her lawyer Bartolo have arrived to enforce a contract, which would make Figaro marry Marcellina.
Cherubino, a Page, is constantly in trouble with the Count, and is moaning to Susanna about his struggles with puppy love, when the Count walks in. He hides and overhears the Count attempting to seduce Susanna, who then himself has to hide from gossiping Basilio. Each are discovered but their indiscretions hold their silence.
Figaro attempts to gain a public blessing for his wedding to Susanna, and thereby protect her from the Count’s advances, but he worms out of it, and dispatches Cherubino to the army as well.
Synopsis
As the Countess despairs over her husband’s infidelity, Susanna attempts to comfort her with plans to expose him, and distract her by dressing Cherubino in women’s clothes. They hide Cherubino in the wardrobe when the Count comes barrelling in, in a jealous rage. When the Countess claims Susanna is in fact in the wardrobe, but refuses to open the door, he leaves to open the door by force. Susanna switches with Cherubino and emerges to humiliate the Count, who begs forgiveness.
Figaro arrives, and the three must work together to conceal their plotting from the suspicious Count. Antonio, the gardener, nearly exposes them when he arrives and claims a man jumped out of the window (this was Cherubino) but they discredit his story. At this moment, Marcellina, Bartolo and Basilio arrive with the legal contract, trapping the lovers once again.