Libretto PDF

SCENE 2
Bedroom in Bartolo’s house
LIBRETTO
Bartolo is asleep and dreams of his protégé, Rosina.
He gets up and he is dancing in his night-cap and
night-shirt, imagining that he is holding in his arms
the beautiful Rosina.
Drawing-room
A drunken soldier is invading in Bartolo’s house.
Bartolo and his servants are trying to get him out.
The situation is getting out of hand and turns out
into a fight. As a result, a big mirror gets broken and
Bartolo calls the police in order to put the intruder
away. Rosina who recognized the Count under the
soldier’s uniform, was thrilled by his courage and
Susanna was very much impressed with Figaro’s
inventiveness and intelligence.
Dreams
Count Almaviva and Figaro dream about their loved
ones: Rosina and Susanna.
Drawing-room
Act One
GREAT BALLETS - ΜΕΓΑΛΑ ΜΠΑΛΕΤΑ 2014
[Figaro]
The Barber of Seville
or Vain Precautions
SCENE 1
In a Seville Street
Barber Figaro is as important to the inhabitants of
Seville as the air they breathe – he puts on them
wigs, perfumes and makes fanciful coiffures so that
everyone is in a good mood. Count Almaviva enters the
barber shop of Figaro in a disguise. He asks Figaro to
help him win the love of the young Rosina who is Dr
Bartolo’s protégé. He employs Figaro as his servant
with the condition to pay him later on. Figaro agrees to
that as he is very much in love with Susanna, Rosina’s
maid. Figaro arranges to meet the rich Marcellina at Dr
Bartolo’s house in order to lend him some money.
She promises to do so. During their meeting, it is
obvious that Marcellina is attracted by Figaro. The
term of the loan is that if Figaro does not have the
ability to pay his debt to her, he will have to marry her.
Money in exchange of an oath of marriage. Late in
the evening, Figaro hires musicians to play a serenade
under Rosina’s balcony. The Count Almaviva arrives,
everything is ready and the musicians begin to play.
Rosina’s window lights up and she comes out on to
her balcony. Her guardian though, Dr Bartolo who also
heard the serenade, forces Rosina to immediately go
back into her room and remain there. Bartolo, locks
up the house and leaves. Almaviva and Figaro follow
him. The skillful servant manages to steal the key from
Bartolo and Rosina is set free from captivity. Rosina
falls in love with the Count although she has no idea
that he is a grandee. Figaro is ready to help them in
their amorous plans. Dr Bartolo comes back to the
house and he realizes that he does not have his keys.
He keeps looking for them when suddenly Figaro
hands them out to him. Dr Bartolo begins to become
suspicious. A detachment of soldiers march into the
town. The sergeant distributes military decrees to
them. Having managed to get hold of one of these
documents, Figaro organizes a new plan which is to the
Count’s liking.
Figaro has a new plan! He disguises the Count into
Don Basilio, the music and dancing teacher of Rosina.
When Count Almaviva enters the house in disguise,
Rosina immediately recognizes him and she joins the
spirit of the game. Meanwhile Dr Bartolo is getting
suspicious and he is continually interrupting the
“teacher”-Count and Rosina by entering the teaching
room. Barber Figaro shaves Bartolo in an attempt
to distract his attention. The Count gets the chance
propose to Rosina who agrees to become his wife.
Suddenly, the real Don Basilio appears in the house.
Positioning himself behind the shattered mirror, the
disguised Count does his best to portray himself as
the dancing teacher’s reflection. But Basilio is not so
easily deceived, he overcomes the hallucination in the
mirror and the count is unmasked. Bartolo suspects
Rosina of being involved in the conspiracy and throws
the Count and Figaro out the house.
SCENE 3
By Bartolo’s house
Having made sure that Rosina is firmly locked indoors,
Bartolo with the help of Basilio, makes rushed
preparations to marry Rosina. Figaro finds a ladder
and the Count climbs to Rosina’s window. Don Basilio
who has witnessed these movements, calls for the
soldiers to arrest him. The soldiers know the real
identidy of the Count and do not proceed with the
arrest. Instead the soldiers, a notary, an orchestra
and the citizens of Seville gather in the square by the
house. Bartolo opens the door and out steps Count
Almaviva dressed in the robes of a grandee together
with Rosina. Everyone congratulates the engaged
couple and the notary validates the engagement to
the delight of the attendees. Figaro is very pleased
and the truth is that he never did get any money from
the Count.
[Figaro]
GREAT BALLETS - ΜΕΓΑΛΑ ΜΠΑΛΕΤΑ 2014
Act Two
The mad day or
the marriage of Figaro
SCENE 4
The park before Count Almaviva’s Palace
In the morning, the Count and Countess are attending
a festive celebration to honor Figaro and Susanna
for their upcoming wedding. The Count has to give his
consent for Figaro’s wedding as this is the customary
which masters do for their servants. Instead of this, he
tries to persuade Susanna to have an affair with him,
for he has already lost interest in Countess Rosina.
The useless servant of the Count, Cherubino, spends
his time chasing after women. Therefore the Count
orders that he serves in the army. All the old acquaintances gather in the park: Dr Bartolo, Don Basilio and
the notary. They accompany Marcellina, to demand
from Figaro to pay his debt or marry Marcellina as it
was agreed. The Count realizes that this is his chance
to take advantage from this circumstance and get the
barber’s wedding to Susanna postponed.
SCENE 5
The Countetess’s Bedroom
The Countess tries to arouse her husband’s desire, for
she still loves him. But Almaviva withdraws, leaving
Rosina in a pensive mood. Cherubino runs in Rosina’s
bedroom and hides under a chair in an attempt to
escape from the Count’s soldiers and servants. The
Countess and Susanna hide him under their skirts.
Cherubino being in a state of panic confesses his
love to the Countess. The Count enters unexpectedly.
Seeing Cherubino’s tricorne (hat), he demands to
know where he is hiding. The Countess and Susanna
do not reveal Cherubino’s hiding-place. When the
Countess leaves the room, the Count begins to flirt
with Susanna. Realizing, Susanna that it will be very
difficult to avoid her master, agrees to meet him
in the park. The Countess, Susanna, Fanshetta and
Cherubino, whom they have disguised as a woman,
devised a plan which would bring the Count to his
senses and solve all their problems.
SCENE 7
A remote corner of the park
SCENE 6
LIBRETTO
Festivity in the Park
Marcellina and her assistant eventually manage to
meet Figaro and hold him to his promise. This time
they have brought a judge along with them. The
Count asks them to wait and solve their differences
after the celebration. Dressed up as flowers and
gardeners, the Count’s servants presented a joyful
spectacle before their master. Almaviva himself takes
part in the performance by dancing with an attractive
flower, suspecting that it is Cherubino in desguise.
With Basilio’s assistance Cherubino is revealed and
the chase begins all over again but without success
as everyone is helping him to avoid capture. A storm
breaks out.
Dreams
Figaro is now very upset. He has understood that the
Count is spying on him and he is depressed by the deception. He almost ceased to believe that his dreams will
come true. Susanna helps him to overcome his doubts.
Having received a note from Susanna, the Count,
accompanied by Basilio, goes to the rendezvous.
Here too, are Figaro and all the rest of the plotters.
Eventually, Susanna arrives. The Count meets with her.
Figaro who is hiding in the bushes, is out of his mind
from jealousy. He has no idea that the Countess is
hiding under Susanna’s skirt. Figaro does everything
he can to interrupt the rendezvous and he succeeds.
Another couple of lovers appears wearing masks.
The Count recognizes the Countess and Cherubino.
He intends to expose his unfaithful wife! He calls the
Palace servants who came and surrounded the lovers
carrying torches. The Count tears the mask off the
“Countess’s” face but before him stands Fanshetta.
“Susanna” turns out to be the Countess! Everybody
burst into laughter at the Count’s expense. The
Count Almaviva begs his wife for forgiveness. Finally,
Almaviva gives his consent for Figaro’s and Susanna’s
wedding as well as Cherubino’s and Fanshetta’s.
Rosina pays off Figaro’s debt to Marcellina so
everybody is content! A festive wedding celebration is
held in the park where fireworks are flooding in the
shape of stars.