Le astuzie femminili

by Domenico Cimarosa (1749-1801),
an opera in 2 acts, originally 4,
set to a libretto by Giovanni Palomba, and first produced in Naples on 16 August 1794

Synopsis

The setting of the opera takes place in 18th century Rome.

Act 1

Bellina's house. Romauldo, her guardian tells Bellina that her late father has stipulated that she can only inherit his property if she marries Giampaolo, an elderly landowner from Naples. Giampaolo, although received mockingly by the girl, is enchanted by her. Bellina, with the approval of her governess Leonora and her friend Ersilia, decides to do all she can to avoid marrying the old man because she is in love with her cousin Filandro. To create confusion, Leonora tells Giampaolo that both Romauldo and Filandro plan to marry Bellina. And to create even more confusion, Giampaolo then tells Filandro that Romauldo is due to marry Bellina after which he goes to Romauldo to tell him about Bellina's liaison with Filandro. The action moves to the garden, where Bellina and Filandro express their love and agree to play a joke on Giampaolo. Giampaolo surprises them there, however, and draws a gun. Bellina asks his forgiveness, which he says can only be granted if she agrees to marry him, then and there, but going into Bellina's house still brandishing his pistol, the governess Leonora pretends to mistake him for a criminal and calls for the police. People gather, and in the general confusion, plans for an immediate wedding go up in smoke.

Act 2

Bellina's house. Leonora is telling everyone that Bellina has left home, when a 'Hungarian' officer arrives, speaking a strange language and claiming that he is looking for his fiancee, who has run off with a certain Filandro, with whom she is in love. In fact the 'Hungarian' officer is Filandro in disguise who goes on to claim that while he has already arrested Filandro, he is still looking for the girl. Next, Bellina herself arrives, but like her cousin Filandro, is disguised as a 'Hungarian' and claiming that she too is looking for her lover, who has run off with a certain Bellina. The latter, it appears has also been apprehended, but there is no sign of her lover. The two eccentric strangers are then introduced, and going off, promise to exchange and reunite the two 'errant' lovers that they have independently rounded up.The scene changes to a veranda with a view over Rome. While Giampaolo and Romauldo are discussing the question of marriage between old men such as themselves and a young girl like Bellina, the two 'Hungarians' reappear, just married and very pleased with themselves. When their true identities are revealed, however, the old men are at first enraged, but soon bow to the inevitable, and by way of compensation, and tired of their bachelor days, agree to marry the two other ladies in the cast, the governess Leonora and Bellina's friend Ersilia.