Don Pasquale (1976)

Rome. 1840’s. Don Pasquale, a wealthy old aristocrat, has been unable to persuade his idealistic nephew, Ernesto, to marry a rich noblewoman. Ernesto is in love with Norina, a young lower-class widow whom he wishes to marry and raise to a higher social position. Enraged, Pasquale has decided to disown his nephew and find a young bride for himself.

ACT I. Scene 1. In his bedroom, Pasquale is awaiting the arrival of Dr. Malatesta, his personal physician, who is ostensibly helping him to find a suitable bride. In reality, Malatesta is acting on behalf of Norina and Ernesto, and has devised a scheme whereby Norina will disguise herself as his own sister, Sofronia, captivate the Don and marry him in a mock ceremony. After the signing of the marriage contract she will drive the old man so crazy that he will realize the full folly of his stubborness and allow Ernesto to wed Norina.

The doctor arrives, announces that he has found the perfect girl, describes her as modest, naive, just out of convent school, and works Pasquale up to a fever pitch of anticipation. Ernesto enters, and Pasquale offers him one final chance to marry the woman he has chosen for his nephew. Ernesto refuses, Pasquale disowns him and announces his own marriage plans. Ernesto (who has not yet been informed by Malatesta of the plot that is afoot) resolves to renounce his love for Norina since he cannot possibly now afford to support her. His grief turns to anger when he learns that Pasquale is marrying the sister of Malatesta, the man whom he most trusted.

ACT I. Scene 2. Norina, absorbed in a romantic novel, receives a letter from Ernesto in which he bids her farewell. She is furious with Malatesta when he arrives and explains that he has not yet let Ernesto in on the scheme. She agrees, however, to play her appointed role, and rehearses with Malatesta for the coming “performance.”

ACT II. Preparing to leave his uncle’s house forever, Ernesto reasserts his intention of renouncing Norina and dragging out his penniless existence in a foreign land. After he has gone, Pasquale enters and receives Malatesta and his “sister”, who entirely captivates the old man with her modesty and beauty. A “notary” is called in (actually Malatesta’s cousin Carlotto in disguise) and the marriage contract is drawn up, Pasquale graciously making over to his dear wife the half of all his property. Disaster is only barely averted when Ernesto breaks in. Malatesta pulls the horrified young man aside, tells him to play along, and, convinces him to act as the second witness. As soon as the ceremony is completed, Norina drops her meek personna and begins to transform into a shrew. When she calls together the servants and, finding there are only three in all, directs that more be engaged and that the wages of those at pre- sent in service be doubled, Don Pasquale begins to regret his decision to marry.

ACT III. Scene 1. As the newly-hired servants rush about, transforming Pasquale’s household under the command of Norina, the old man scrutinizes the bills that are pouring in. He confronts Norina, refuses to allow her to go to the theater on their wedding night, and she slaps him. When Pasquale makes a final stand against his wife’s tyranny, Norina merely tells her “dear Grampa” to go to bed. After Norina has gone, Pasquale’s eye lights on a paper she has let drop. It proves to be a letter from a lover (another step in the plot to infuriate Pasquale) arranging a meeting for that very evening in the garden. Pasquale, seeing a possible way out of an impossible marriage, summons Malatesta. As the servants gossip about the master, mistress and mysterious nephew, Malatesta coaches Ernesto on his role as Norina’s secret lover. After Ernesto slips out, Pasquale returns and plots with the ever sympathetic Malatesta the revenge he will take on his wife.

ACT III. Scene 2. The pre-arranged rendezvous and discovery thereof by Pasquale both take place. But when Norina still refuses to leave Pasquale’s house, Malatesta whispers to the desperate old man to play along with a new scheme. The doctor then tells his “sister” that she is likely to find a second wife installed in the house alongside her – Ernesto’s Norina. To convince “Sofronia” of this, Ernesto is called in and, to the pre-rehearsed objections on the part of the outraged new bride, told to go find Norina and marry her immediately. Malatesta tells Pasquale that there is no need to do so the lady is here at hand. The amazed Pasquale learns of the trick that has been played upon him a feigned marriage to prevent the greater calamity of a real one. Pasquale is so relieved that he bestows his blessing on the young couple.