West Bay Opera

The Italian Girl in Algiers

Synopsis

Mustafà, the Bey of Algiers, is bored with his wife Elvira and sends Haly, captain of the guard, to find a glamorous Italian wife for him. Lindoro, an Italian being held at Mustafà's court, has been separated from his fiancée Isabella, who at that moment is conveniently shipwrecked in the shores of Algiers whilst looking for him. Haly captures Isabella and her entourage of Italians, bringing them to the Bey. Reunited with Lindoro at last, Isabella decides to outwit the Bey using her feminine wiles. Mustafà, unsuspecting, demands that Lindoro take Elvira off his hands, thus freeing the Bey to marry Isabella. Isabella insists that she will marry Mustafà only on the condition that he undergo an ancient Italian ceremony to prove that he will be a completely docile husband. At the end of the preposterous ceremony, a new boat arrives for Isabella and she, Lindoro, and the rest of the Italians depart. Realizing he has been deceived, Mustafà decides to forgive the Italians and go back to his patient Elvira.

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4 September, 1998