Le Nozze Di Tutte
Once upon a time, a wonderful college-level voice teacher was sitting in her studio, wondering what to do about Opera Workshop. “I have too many sopranos and not enough tenors!” she lamented. “What on earth will they sing?”
Another voice teacher overheard the wailing. “I couldn’t help but overhear your wailing,” she said. “Why don’t I just write you an opera that has almost no tenors, and a million roles for sopranos?” she suggested. “In fact, it could be performed by college voice programs all over the country.
“I think I’ll choose Mozart — his music is beautiful and college singers sound good singing it — and I’ll cherry pick the arias. I’ll write a story that ties them all together, and set it in a modern location so you can easily find the props and costumes. I’ll have it done in a few weeks.”
And thus, Le Nozze Di Tutte was born.
BELOW: Synopsis and mp3 clips. If you are interested in viewing the entire show, email me at eden@edencasteel.com and I’ll be glad to send you download links.
Le Nozze Di Tutte: All Marriages Are Like That
Music by W.A. Mozart, from his operas ?Cosi Fan Tutte,? ?Le Nozze Di Figaro,? and ?Die Zauberflote?
New libretto by Eden Casteel
First performance April 6, 2005, Hillsdale Opera Theater
Second performance June 23, 2006, Opera Academy of Michigan/Jackson Symphony Orchestra
SYNOPSIS
ACT ONE Tony Almaviva (Count Almaviva in the original Mozart opera) is the master of his domain: Tony?s All-American Diner in the college town of Johnson, Michigan, circa 1959.
Tony Almaviva talks to Figaro, his car mechanic, Le Nozze 2006
But he can?t keep his hands off of Suzy (Susanna), his sweet waitress, engaged to Figaro (Figaro), the town?s car mechanic. They happily plan their wedding (Cinque, Dieci/Seven, Fourteen) later that evening.
Figaro and Almaviva talk while wary Suzy watches, Le Nozze 2006
Tony?s wandering eye pains his long-suffering artist wife, Tess (Countess Almaviva) who recalls happier days (Porgi Amor/Love Has Left Me).?Love Has Left Me
Tony?s manner disgusts saucy Despina (Despina), the head cook, who dreams of serving haute cuisine instead of hamburgers. Figaro and Suzy disagree on how to handle the boss (Se A Caso Madama/My Surrogate Uncle).
College jocks Fred (Ferrando) and Will (Guglielmo) boast that their cute coed girlfriends Bella (Dorabella) and Gigi (Fiordiligi) will always be faithful (La Mia Dorabella/I?ll Give My Dear Bella).I’ll Give My Dear Bella
This proves irresistible to Tony, Figaro, Coach? Alfonso (Don Alfonso) and Mailman Bart (Bartolo), who trick the boys into testing the girls? fidelity.
Coach Alfonso talks to Will about the ladies, while Vinnie Testaroni observes
Certain they will be rejected, the boys agree to woo each other?s girl. To start the contest, Bart arranges a sudden ?draft? to Cuba. Coach gloats (Vorrei Dir/When the Smoke Has Cleared Away) When the smoke has cleared
and the girls bid the draftees a tearful goodbye (Farewell Our Dear Soldiers). Vinne Testeroni (Cherubino), a lovesick teenage nerd, offers himself as a substitute (Voi Che Sapete/My Lovely Ladies).
The jocks return as beatniks ?Larry? and ?Harry,? and are summarily rejected (Come Scoglio/Nothing Weakens My Heart?s Protection) Nothing Weakens. Despina urges the ladies to embrace the single life (In Uomini/Fidelity) Fidelity. Intrigued, Coach enlists Despina?s help with the contest. The boys pretend to poison themselves, and the girls rush to their aid (Cosi Act 1 Finale/The Pain of Your Rejection). Despina, disguised as Doctor Strangelove, performs a brain transplant to ?cure? them. The girls waver, but when the boys ask for healing kisses, they are spurned.
Beatniks get a "Brain Transplant" as Coach and co-eds look on (2006 production)
ACT TWO Figaro escorts Marcella Wines (Marcellina), the ?First Lady? of Johnson, into the diner. Marcella and Suzy exchange insults (Via Resti Servita/My Dear You?re So Tiny). Marcella has come to collect on a secret loan to Figaro. Unable to pay, Figaro confesses the penalty to Suzy: He must marry Marcella that very evening. In shock, Suzy flees her job and her fianc?e. Tony is delighted. Figaro mourns (Non Piu Andrai/When You Think You?ve Found Someone to Marry).
Coach Alfonso brings his wife (The Queen of the Night from Die Zauberflote) into the restaurant. She burns her tongue on the coffee and overreacts (Der Holle Rache/I Burned My Tongue), revealing why Coach might hold a negative opinion of matrimony.
Ignoring Gigi?s disapproval, Bella decides to dump Fred (E Amore Un Ladroncello/When Loving Young Sweethearts Are Parted) When Loving Young Sweethearts Are Parted.
Gigi decides to follow Will into the Army, borrowing a uniform from Vinnie. Surprised by ?Harry?(Un Aura Amorosa/By Love Uninvited), she succumbs to his charms (Volgi A Mi Pieto/Sweet Surrender). Now Bella?s boyfriend, Will, feels guilty (Non Siate Ritrosi/It All Seemed So Easy)
Suzy returns to the restaurant to cancel her wedding plans (Deh Vieni Non Tardar/Console the Grieving Bride).
Tess hatches a plot to free Suzy and trap Tony (Sull? Aria/Dear Tony). An exultant Marcella plans her future with Figaro (Venite Ingnocatvi/Begin the Celebration) Begin the Celebration,?while Tony plans his seduction of Suzy (Vedro Mntiro Sospiro/For Suzy I am Waiting).
In the darkened diner at night, Tess and Suzy exchange costumes. Tess hopes she will be able to forgive and forget (Dove Sono/Waiting for the One). Vinnie, Tony, Suzy, Tess and Figaro switch identities, finally ending up with their true loves (Figaro Act 4 Finale). Coach exposes the bet to the chagrin of the couples (Faithless Gigi). When Tony?s excitement causes him to collapse, it is Tess who saves him. Despina, dressed as Elvis, marries off the couples, even finding Vinnie a mate (Ba-ba-ba; Hurry Let?s Get Married). All the honeymooners head for Niagara Falls as they discover All Marriages Are Like That ? Le Nozze Di Tutte.
Elvis marries off the couples, Le Nozze 2006