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Synopsis

Fairy tales and love stories usually end with a wedding and the obligatory “They lived happily ever after”. But is that really true? Count Almaviva did not hesitate to pose as a drunken officer and climb onto other people’s balconies at night to win over the beautiful Rosina. Three years have passed since their wedding, and what remains of the Spanish grandee’s passionate love now?

Part 1

Figaro has become Almaviva’s valet. Now he is the one who is planning a wedding with Susanna, Countess Rosina’s maid. But Susanna has also caught the eye of the Count, who spends his time partying and chasing pretty girls. Figaro promises revenge on his master, but he also has an obligation that may prevent the wedding – he has borrowed money from Almaviva’s housekeeper Marcellina, and he must marry her if he doesn’t pay it back. Marcellina is very eager to get married, and Dr. Bartolo, who wants to get back at Figaro for snatching Rosina from him, is happy to help her. The page Cherubino also has his head full of love. His desire for Barbarina and Susanna is more of a game and raging hormones, but it’s something more serious in the case of the Countess. The Count has caught Cherubino with Barbarina and sends him away as punishment. Cherubino seeks help from Susanna, but the Count has also arrived. The desperate Cherubino hides under the table, and soon afterwards the Count also seeks shelter there when his proposals of love to Susanna are interrupted by the dance master Basilio. Cherubino is soon discovered, but Figaro arrives with girls cheering praise to the Count. The Count orders Cherubino to go and join his regiment in Seville.

Susanna has also confided the Count’s proposals to the Countess, who sadly remembers her lost love. Figaro comes up with a solution – he sends the Count a note in which Susanna invites him to meet her and at the same time warns him about the Countess’s rendezvous with an unknown lover. Cherubino will go to the meeting instead of Susanna, and he immediately has him summoned. The Countess is afraid of her husband’s jealousy, but agrees. While they are changing Cherubino into women’s clothing, they are interrupted by the Count, who has already received the note. Cherubino jumps out of the window and Susanna pretends that it was she who was locked in the closet. Everything is almost ruined by the gardener Antonio, who has spotted Cherubino, and Figaro tries to take the blame for the broken flowers himself. Susanna and Figaro ask for blessing for their marriage, but they are interrupted by Marcellina demanding that the contract be fulfilled and that she and Figaro marry.

Part 2

The Countess convinces Susanna to invite the Count to a rendezvous in the garden. She will then go there herself instead. Susanna agrees, but the Count’s joy at the rendezvous is spoiled by Susanna’s remark to Figaro that he overhears by chance to the effect that she has already won the matter. The Count wants to get his revenge, but the dispute with Marcellina is ended when it turns out that Figaro is her and Bartolo’s illegitimate son. The Countess and Susanna write a note with an invitation that Susanna is to give to the Count during the wedding ceremony. In the meantime, Cherubino has hidden Barbarina among the other bridesmaids, where Antonio discovers her. But then the Wedding March sounds and the ceremony begins.

Barbarina looks for the pin that Susanna used to fasten the note to the Count. She was supposed to return it to her as confirmation of the rendezvous, but she must have dropped it somewhere. Figaro surprises her and concludes from what she has said that it is Susanna who has a rendezvous with the Count. He is furious and confides in Marcellina, but she believes in Susanna’s innocence. After all, she has had her share of experience with men. The garden comes alive with couples seeking privacy for their dalliances. The Countess, disguised as Susanna, waits for the Count. From his hiding place, Figaro sees the Count leading the supposed Susanna into the gazebo, when they are disturbed. Susanna arrives in the Countess’s dress, but Figaro quickly exposes her and together they perform a passionate scene for the returning Count. He believes he has caught his wife, but in the end it turns out that he is the only one who has been caught. Words of forgiveness are spoken and everyone runs to celebrate. Only the Countess and Cherubino remain in the garden…

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