West Bay Opera
Don Pasquale
Synopsis
Don Pasquale, a foolish old bachelor in his sixties, has no heir. He hopes
to persuade his younbg nephew Ernesto to accept an arranged marriage, but
Ernesto is in love with the glamorous but penniless widow Norina and refuses
to obey his uncle. Pasquale decides to solve the problem by getting married
himself. Despite his age, he is determined to find a young wife. His friend,
Dr. Malatesta, joins forces with Norina in a plot calculated to covince
Pasquale that marriage is the last thing he wants. Norina is presented to
the old man disguised as a sweet, innocent girl fresh from the convent
school. The two are "married" in a bogus ceremony conducted by a fake
notary. As soon as the marriage contract is signed, Norina turns into
a shrew. She spends Pasquale's money on clothes and jewels, she demands
the complete reorganization of the household, and she even pretends to be
carrying on an affair right under her "husband's" nose. In the end,
Pasquale is delighted to learn that his "marriage" was a sham and Norina
is united with her beloved Ernesto.
10 October, 1997