Don Pasquale
Don Pasquale, opera buffa (comic opera) in three acts by Italian composer Gaetano Donizetti (Italian libretto by Donizetti and Giovanni Ruffini) that premiered at the Théâtre Italien in Paris on January 3, 1843. As a masterpiece of comic opera, Don Pasquale remains a staple of the world’s opera houses.
Background and context
Don Pasquale was composed very quickly, as were many of Donizetti’s operas. The cast was handpicked from the most famous singers of the day, and Donizetti had worked with them before. He knew their vocal and dramatic abilities, and he clearly trusted them with challenging material, for, though Don Pasquale is a buoyant delight for the audience, it is formidable work for the performers.
The premiere was a smashing success, and before the year was out Don Pasquale would be heard in the great opera houses of Europe. It was the last triumph that the composer would remember. Of the five years of life that remained to him, he spent most of the time in asylums. Only two other operas followed, bringing his career total to more than 60.
Don Pasquale, like Gioachino Rossini’s The Barber of Seville, epitomizes Italian opera buffa. Both operas are filled with bright and colourful vocal writing and skillful depiction of plot and character. The characters derive from types that were common in the many comic operas of the period: a clever leading lady, her winsome admirer, an old buffoon who hopes to outwit them, and a conniving fellow who takes the side of the young lovers. Donizetti was a master at pleasing his audiences, then and now.
Betsy SchwarmCast and vocal parts
Setting and story summary
Don Pasquale is set in Rome in the mid-19th century.
Act I
Scene 1. A room in Don Pasquale’s house.
The elderly Don Pasquale is waiting impatiently for Dr. Malatesta, whose help he has enlisted in finding a wife so that he can produce direct heirs and disinherit his rebellious nephew, Ernesto. Malatesta, who is also a friend of Ernesto’s, arrives and tells Don Pasquale of the beautiful, pure young woman he has found for him—supposedly Malatesta’s own sister, “Sofronia.” Pasquale is delighted; Malatesta, as he leaves, promises to bring her the next day. Pasquale cannot contain his joy and fantasizes about the half-dozen children he will have with her (“Ah! un foco insolito”).
Ernesto enters and Pasquale confronts him, reminding the young man that he had been advised to marry a certain wealthy lady; Ernesto knew that if he refused, he would be disinherited. Ernesto acknowledges this but refuses to comply, for he is in love with Norina, whom Pasquale considers unworthy. Pasquale, reporting that he has plans to marry, orders Ernesto to find another place to live. Ernesto, who has been counting on inheriting Pasquale’s fortune in order to be able to marry Norina, is astounded and dismayed. To avoid keeping Norina in poverty and misery, Ernesto decides to give her up. In a last-ditch effort he asks Pasquale to consult their mutual friend Malatesta. But Pasquale tells him that Malatesta heartily approves of the older man’s decision to marry, for his bride-to-be is none other than Malatesta’s sister. Ernesto is devastated.
Scene 2. Norina’s house.
As Norina sits in her garden reading, she laughs at the wiles of the women in the novel and contrasts their cunning with her own (“So anch’io la virtù magica”). A letter from Ernesto arrives just as Malatesta comes in, chortling over his plot against Don Pasquale. But Norina is not amused, for Ernesto has written a sorrowful farewell to her. Malatesta promises to let Ernesto in on the secret: Norina, pretending to be Malatesta’s sister “Sofronia,” will marry Pasquale—under a false contract prepared by Malatesta’s cousin, who will play the part of the notary. The new wife will drive Pasquale so crazy that he will be desperate to get rid of her. Norina agrees on the condition that she will not lose Ernesto in the process. Malatesta assures her that Ernesto will benefit from the plan as well. He instructs her to play the part of a simple, shy country girl. The two are thrilled with the plot, especially Norina, who wants revenge for Pasquale’s refusal to let Ernesto marry her.
Act II
A room in Don Pasquale’s house.
Ernesto is disconsolate, for he is now without a home, without his love, and without his friend Malatesta, whom he believes has betrayed him. He decides to go into exile abroad (“Cercherò lontana terra”). Don Pasquale eagerly awaits the arrival of his bride and orders the servants not to let in anyone but Malatesta and his sister. Malatesta soon arrives with the shy, trembling girl—Norina, heavily veiled and in character—and Pasquale is transported. “Sofronia” pretends to be too frightened even to be in the room with him. Her bashfulness greatly excites the old man. Pasquale tries to get to know her, and he wants the veil lifted. Reluctantly, “Sofronia” obeys, sending Pasquale into such paroxysms of joy that he cannot muster the strength to ask her to marry him. Malatesta does so for him, and “Sofronia”—seeing what a dolt Pasquale is—shyly agrees. Pasquale wants to get to a notary right away, but the well-prepared Malatesta has already brought one. Malatesta dictates to the “notary” the contract, which of course contains a clause by which Pasquale leaves half his property to “Sofronia.” Pasquale eagerly signs it, and “Sofronia” is about to do so when a clamour outside startles her. Ernesto is fighting with the servants, who are preventing his entry. Norina and Malatesta are horrified, for Malatesta has not yet let Ernesto in on the scheme, and they fear that when he sees Norina he will give it all away.
Ernesto bursts in, angry that the servants had treated him like a criminal when all he wanted to do was to say goodbye to his uncle. Pasquale, however, is pleased, for he needs a witness to the marriage anyway, and he introduces his bride to Ernesto. Ernesto is shocked to see that the “bride” is his own Norina. Malatesta draws Ernesto aside and assures him that everything is being done for his sake. Malatesta then hurries the sham ceremony along by having Ernesto sign as a witness, and the notary pronounces the couple husband and wife. When Pasquale tries to embrace “Sofronia,” she repels him and advises him to wait until he has her permission. Pasquale asks, but she refuses. Ernesto laughs, and Pasquale orders him to leave.
The formerly shy “Sofronia” drops her demure ways and turns into a virago, accusing Pasquale of rudeness and warning that she will teach him how to behave. Pasquale is stunned at the change in her, which Malatesta says he cannot explain. “Sofronia” informs Pasquale that he is too decrepit and fat to go walking with her and that she needs a young man like Ernesto to squire her about town. When Pasquale refuses to allow it, “Sofronia” puts him straight: she is the boss now, and she will not tolerate any back talk. Pasquale bemoans his fate as Norina and Ernesto laugh at his discomfiture. Malatesta tries to calm him.
“Sofronia” calls for the servants and, seeing that there are only three of them, orders the butler—whose wages she doubles—to hire more. Pasquale is enraged, but she will tolerate no interruptions. She orders the butler to get her two carriages, with horses; new furniture; and a wigmaker, dressmaker, and jeweler. When Pasquale asks who is going to pay for all this, she calmly tells him that he will. He refuses, and she erupts in a rage, calling him a peasant and other choice names. Malatesta again tries to pacify Pasquale, while to the side Norina and Ernesto declare their love for each other.
Act III
Scene 1. The same room in Don Pasquale’s house.
Pasquale sits before a mound of his wife’s mounting bills amid a room filled with new furniture and other possessions. Servants run back and forth into his wife’s bedroom, rushing her diamond jewelry as they help prepare her for the theatre (“I diamanti, presto, presto”). When “Sofronia” appears before her husband, he forbids her to leave and orders her to her room, but she mocks him and advises him to go to bed. When he bars her way out and calls her a hussy, she slaps him. Pasquale is stunned. “Sofronia” says goodbye and that she will see him in the morning, but he threatens to bar the doors. Now she sweetly begs him to be good and to go to bed. She says she will wake him in the morning. But Pasquale thunders that he wants a divorce, for she is the worst wife imaginable. Finally, “Sofronia” flounces out, dropping a letter as she goes.
Pasquale picks up the letter and finds details of a tryst arranged for that evening between “Sofronia” and an unknown lover, who will signal by serenading her in the garden. Enraged at this latest insult, Pasquale stalks out, after having the servants send for Malatesta. The servants complain among themselves about the confusion in the house, but they also find the situation rather amusing.
Although Malatesta had planned everything himself, he is honestly shocked to find Don Pasquale so pale and weak; the practical joke has taken its toll on the old man. Pasquale believes himself to be dying and regrets his falling out with Ernesto. He tells the doctor of his fight with “Sofronia” and shows him the letter. Malatesta pretends to be horrified at his sister’s behaviour. Pasquale plans to gather his servants and to catch “Sofronia” and her lover in the garden that evening and to have them hauled off to jail. But Malatesta—not wanting Pasquale to discover that Ernesto is in on the plot—assures the old man that the two of them could simply threaten the couple. This is not enough for Pasquale, but Malatesta reminds him that “Sofronia” is his sister after all. Pasquale, recalling the slap, demands that she leave his house. Malatesta, pondering the problem, comes up with the idea of eavesdropping on the lovers. If “Sofronia” is in fact unfaithful, he says, then Pasquale can simply send her packing. Pasquale loves the idea, but Malatesta knows that it is Pasquale himself who will be in the trap. They rehearse their plan, convinced that the plot will serve both men’s objectives.
Scene 2. A garden near Don Pasquale’s house.
Ernesto serenades Norina (“Com’è gentil”). Norina comes out to meet him, and they tenderly declare their love for each other. Meanwhile, Pasquale and Malatesta are slinking through the grove. Pasquale confronts “Sofronia,” who screams for help. Ernesto, meanwhile, sneaks away so as not to be seen. When Pasquale demands to know the whereabouts of her lover, “Sofronia” denies that anyone was with her. Pasquale and Malatesta search the garden unsuccessfully. Pasquale insists that “Sofronia” leave his house, but she insists in turn that the house is hers.
Malatesta instructs Pasquale to leave everything up to him. Malatesta then tells his “sister” that Ernesto’s betrothed, Norina, will live in the house after the wedding. “Sofronia” is outraged at the notion that such a hussy as Norina would share her house with her and says that she would rather leave than be under the same roof with that woman. She demands proof that the marriage will really take place. Malatesta tells Pasquale that they must have the marriage performed immediately so that “Sofronia” will consent to leave. Pasquale agrees. Malatesta calls for Ernesto, who speedily arrives and feigns delight that at last his uncle has consented to the wedding. Pasquale tells Ernesto to get Norina, but Malatesta points out that she is already here, in the guise of “Sofronia.” He explains to the stunned old man that he was never really married; it was all a trick. Pasquale calls them rascals, but he is secretly relieved. When Norina and Ernesto ask his forgiveness, he gives them his blessing. They all acknowledge the moral of the tale, that an old man is foolish to marry (Quartet: “La morale in tutto questo”).
Linda Cantoni