Le astuzie femminili
Domenico Cimarosa
Cast
Bellina: Susanna Rigacci
Romualdo: Peter-Christoph Runge
Filandro: Raul Gimenez
Giampaolo: Arturo Testa
Leonora: Nuala Willis
Ersilia: Nancy Hermiston
Creative Team
| Conductor | Gyorgy Fischer |
| Director | Andy Hinds |
| Set Design | John McMurray |
| Costume Design | John McMurray |
| Lighting Design | Mick Hughes |
| Choreographer | Terry John Bates |
| Continuo | Courtney Kenny |
The Plot
Act 1
The opera opens with Signor Lasagna Giampaolo, a wealthy merchant, who is in love with Bellina, a pupil of Dottor Romualdo. Lasagna is determined to win Bellina’s heart and asks for the doctor’s help. The doctor agrees to help him and suggests that he should pretend to be a Frenchman. Lasagna takes the doctor’s advice and disguises himself as a Frenchman named Casacciello. Bellina is impressed by Casacciello’s charm and falls in love with him. Meanwhile, Filandro, who is also in love with Bellina, tries to win her heart by pretending to be a Spaniard named Don Alvaro di Castiglia. The act ends with both suitors trying to impress Bellina.
Act 2
In the second act, Lasagna continues his pursuit of Bellina while disguised as Casacciello. He tries to convince her that he is the right man for her but she remains unconvinced. Meanwhile, Filandro continues his pursuit of Bellina while disguised as Don Alvaro di Castiglia. He tries to win her heart by serenading her but she remains unimpressed. The act ends with both suitors trying to outdo each other.
Act 3
In the third act, Lasagna and Filandro continue their pursuit of Bellina while disguised as Casacciello and Don Alvaro di Castiglia respectively. They both try to impress her but she remains unimpressed. Meanwhile, Ersilia, Bellina’s close friend, tries to help her choose between the two suitors. She suggests that Bellina should test them both by asking them to perform a series of tasks. The act ends with both suitors agreeing to perform the task.
Act 4
In the final act, Lasagna and Filandro continue their pursuit of Bellina while performing the tasks set by Ersilia. However, they are both unsuccessful in winning her heart. In the end, Bellina reveals that she has been in love with Dottor Romualdo all along and they get married.