Don Pasquale, an obstinate but kind-hearted bachelor.
Dr. Malatesta, his friend and physician.
Ernesto, Don Pasquale's nephew.
Norina, a young widow.
Notary.
[Valets, chambermaids, majordomo, dressmaker, etc.]
The scene is laid in Rome; time, last century.
The opening of the first act of "Don Pasquale" discloses the Don enraged
with Ernesto, his nephew, because he will not marry to suit him. Dr.
Malatesta, a mutual friend, comes to the help of Ernesto, to whom he is
greatly attached, and contrives a scheme to further his interests. He
urges the Don to marry a lady, pretending she is his (the doctor's)
sister, in reality Norina, with whom Ernesto is in love. Norina is let
into the secret, her part being to consent to the marriage contract and
then so torment Don Pasquale that he will be glad to get rid of her and
even consent to her marriage with Ernesto.
In the second act Ernesto is found bewailing his fate. The Don enters,
showily arrayed for his wedding. Norina appears with the doctor, and
shyly and reluctantly signs the wedding-contract. As soon as she has
signed it, however, she drops all modesty. The bewildered Ernesto is kept
quiet by signs from the doctor. Norina first refuses all the Don's
demonstrations, and then declares Ernesto shall be her escort. She
summons the servants, and lays out a scheme of housekeeping upon such an
extravagant scale that Don Pasquale declares he will not pay the bills.
She says he shall, as she is now master of the house.
In the third act Norina continues her annoying antics. She employs the
most expensive milliners and modistes. At length, when he finds that she
is going to the theatre, he forbids it. A quarrel follows. She boxes his
ears, and as she flounces out of the room she purposely drops a letter,
the contents of which add jealousy to his other troubles. At this
juncture Dr. Malatesta comes in and condoles with him. Nothing will
satisfy Don Pasquale, however, except her leaving the house, and finally
he orders her to go, at the same time taxing her with having a lover
concealed on the premises. The doctor pleads with him to let his nephew
marry Norina. When he finds she is really the doctor's sister, he is only
too glad to get out of his troubles by consenting to the marriage of the
young couple and blessing them.
The principal numbers in the first act are the duet for Ernesto and Don
Pasquale; the scena for Norina, "And in that Look she gave"; and the
charming duet for Norina and the doctor, "What Sport we'll have," closing
the act. The second act opens with the lugubrious aria, "Oh! how at one
Fell Blow," in which Ernesto bewails his sad condition, and also contains
a charming quartette. The gem of the opera is the serenade in the last
act, "How Soft the Air -- in April Night so Fair," better known perhaps
by its Italian title, "Com 'e gentil," which was inserted by Donizetti
after the first performance to strengthen the work and make it more
popular. The serenade has been heard the world over and is a favorite
concert number still. The charm of "Don Pasquale" lies in its humorous
situations and the bright, melodious music which illustrates them. For
brilliant gayety it stands in the front rank of comic operas.
Linda.
[Grand opera, in three acts; text by Rossi. First produced at the
Kärnthnerthor Theatre, Vienna, May 19, 1842.]